Department of Health and Social Care

Low Alcohol Drinks: Children

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to recent research on the marketing and consumption of no and low alcohol drinks in the UK published by the Institute of Alcohol Studies, whether his Department has plans to restrict the ways and contexts in which those products can be promoted.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Low Alcohol Drinks: Children

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to recent research on the marketing and consumption of no and low alcohol drinks in the UK published by the Institute of Alcohol Studies, what assessment he has made of the potential risk posed by the marketing strategies of those products in exposing children to alcohol brands.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Low Alcohol Drinks

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to research on the marketing of no and low alcohol drinks in the UK published by the Institute of Alcohol Studies, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of alcohol producers using those products to strengthen their brands.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to respond to the recommendations made by the Select Committee on Health and Social Care in its Report entitled Children and Young People's Mental Health, published on 9 December 2021; and if he make a statement.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

NHS Trusts: Energy

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact of the increased cost of energy on NHS trusts in England.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Halton

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the ratio of patients to GPs in the NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group area as of (a) April 2015 and (b) 22 March 2022.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Sir Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether care home staff who were dismissed for failure to receive covid-19 vaccinations may now be re-employed in care homes.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

NHS Foundation Trusts and NHS Trusts: Energy

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much each (a) NHS trust and (b) foundation trust in England spent on energy costs in 2020-21.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Surveys

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2022 to Question 140419 on contact tracing: software, what the sample size has been for the Office for National Statistics’ COVID-19 Infection Survey since it began; what the sample size will be for the continuing operation of that survey; and if he will make a statement.

Maggie Throup: Since October 2020 approximately 150,000 people in England, 15,000 in Scotland, 9,000 in Wales and 5,000 in Northern Ireland have been tested every fortnight as part of the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) COVID-19 Infection Survey.Blood samples are also taken to record data on those who have recovered from COVID-19 to assess the impact of vaccinations. Up to 125,500 people in England, 12,500 in Scotland, 7,500 in Wales and 4,500 in Northern Ireland have been providing blood samples every month. Further information on future sample sizes will be published in due course.

Coronavirus: Screening

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 January 2022 to Question 87710 on Coronavirus: Screening, what the future of those trials is under the Government's plans to live with covid.

Maggie Throup: From 1 April 2022, free universal access to lateral flow device (LFD) tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be made available in due course. This testing will be provided through LFD and polymerase chain reaction testing. LAMP testing will cease to be used as part of the national testing programme.

Coronavirus: Screening

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether free asymptomatic covid-19 testing will be available to people who are immunocompromised.

Maggie Throup: From 1 April 2022, free universal access to lateral flow device tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be made available in due course.

UK School Games: Finance

Jane Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Secretary of State for Education and (b) Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the Government's plans for the future of School Games funding.

Maggie Throup: The Department for Health and Social Care has regular discussions with the Department for Education and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the delivery of the School Sport and Activity Action Plan. Arrangements for the School Games Organisers programme, including the position on future funding, will be confirmed in due course.

Coronavirus: Screening

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the request from the Minister of State, Lord Agnew, of 25 September 2020, contained on page 40 of the Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons, 17 November 2021, relating to Government contracts awarded to Randox Laboratories Ltd HC 1072, that proper international benchmarking of pricing for comparable tests take place over the next month, what benchmarking for covid-19 tests had been conducted by the end of October 2020.

Maggie Throup: All Government contracts are subject to commercial review before award to obtain value for money. The commercial review undertaken for the Randox contract variation in October 2020 included price benchmarking to inform negotiation. This led to significant price reductions to the contract.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason he has not yet responded to Question 72393 on Randox Laboratories tabled on 9 November 2021 and Question 127359 on Written Questions tabled on 22 February 2022; and if he will reply before the end of this Parliamentary Session.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cancer: Waiting Lists

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people were told they had been taken off of the cancer Patient Tracking List in each of the last 12 months.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Oxford AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccines administered to people up to the end of June 2021 were manufactured in the Serum Institute of India; and how many of those vaccines were described as (a) Covidshield and (b) Vaxzevria.

Maggie Throup: All Serum Institute of India (SII) made doses approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), supplied through AstraZeneca and administered in the United Kingdom were initially described as ‘COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca'. As part of the conditional marketing authorisation approval granted on 24 June 2021, the description was changed amended to ‘Vaxzevria’. No AstraZeneca vaccine described as ‘Covidshield’ has been delivered or administered in the UK.The information requested on the number of doses manufactured by SII described as ‘Vaxzevria’ administered in the UK is not held centrally.

Cancer: Waiting Lists

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people were on the (a) 31 day cancer Patient Tracking List and (b) 62 day cancer Patient Tracking List as of 22 March 2022; and how many people were taken off each of those lists in each of the last 12 months.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Platinum Jubilee 2022: Medals

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy that air ambulance first responders without NHS ambulance trust experience should be eligible for a Platinum Jubilee Medal in the event that they meet the five-year service rule; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cancer: Waiting Lists

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what oversight of cancer Patient Tracking Lists is undertaken by (a) the UK Health Security Agency and (b) his Department.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Yellow Card Scheme: Coronavirus

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 15 March 2022 to Question 121676 on Yellow Card Scheme: Coronavirus, what the average time taken is to analyse each yellow card; whether yellow cards reporting serious injury or death are subject to more detailed analysis; and if he will ask the MHRA to share the assessment of an individual report when the patient who is the subject of that report so requests.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he will answer Question 121766 tabled on 9 February 2022 by the hon. Member for South Shields.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Air Pollution: Death

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of excess deaths attributable to one or more air pollution episodes in the UK in March and April 2014.

Maggie Throup: The United Kingdom experienced widespread high levels of particulate air pollution in March and April 2014 and observations of hourly mean PM2.5 (particulate matter) concentrations reached up to 83 μg m− 3 at urban background sites.The former Public Health England performed an exposure and health impact assessment of the air pollution, focusing on two episodes with the highest concentrations of PM2.5 between 12 to 14 March and 28 March to 3 April 2014. This estimated that approximately 600 deaths were brought forward from short-term exposure to PM2.5, representing 3.9% of total all-cause mortality excluding external causes during the episodes. Using observed levels of PM2.5 from other years, the mortality burden was estimated to be is 2.0 to 2.7 times the burden associated with typical urban background levels of PM2.5 at this time of year.

Coronavirus: Screening

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which vulnerable groups of people will be able to continue to receive free covid-19 lateral flow tests after 1 April 2022; and whether tests will be made available to people with symptoms of covid-19.

Maggie Throup: From 1 April 2022, free universal access to lateral flow device tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be made available in due course.

Coronavirus: Death

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of people who have died from covid-19 received anti-viral treatments.

Maggie Throup: The information requested is not held centrally.

Respiratory System: Coronavirus

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of people diagnosed with covid-19 who suffered from respiratory distress received anti-viral treatment in the last two years.

Maggie Throup: The information requested is not held centrally.

Coronavirus: Screening

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take steps to identify vulnerable groups who will continue to be entitled to free covid-19 lateral flow tests after 1 April 2022; and whether those groups will include (a) people who are immunocompromised or immunosuppressed and (b) chronic kidney disease patients.

Maggie Throup: From 1 April 2022, free universal access to lateral flow device tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be made available in due course.

Coronavirus: Mortality Rates

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of mechanical and pharmaceutical interventions available to people who are experiencing covid-19 on mortality rates.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Medical Treatments

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to help ensure that people who fall seriously ill with covid-19 are offered the highest level of therapeutic interventions to prevent mortality.

Maggie Throup: The Government procured 4.98 million patient courses of antivirals to treat COVID-19. Since December 2021, National Health Service patients can access COVID-19 therapies in the community, including antivirals and monoclonal antibodies, which can reduce the risk of becoming hospitalised. In England, over 1.3 million people are eligible for monoclonal antibody treatment sotrovimab and the antivirals nirmatrelvir + ritonavir (Paxlovid), molnupiravir and Remdesivir. Eligible patients who test positive will be contacted by a clinician from a COVID Medicines Delivery Unit to discuss treatment suitability. The clinician will be responsible for assessing the patient and deciding which treatment option is most appropriate for them and their existing conditions.Patients admitted to hospital due to COVID-19 have a range of treatment options available under the United Kingdom wide clinical policy. These treatments include dexamethasone, tocilizumab and sotrovimab. Hospitalised patients may also be considered for entry into the RECOVERY trial. In addition, over 20 million people are eligible for the antiviral molnupiravir through the PANORAMIC national study, run by the University of Oxford. This study is open to individuals in the UK who have received a positive test result, are aged 50 years old and over or are aged 18 to 49 years old with an underlying medical condition which can increase the risk of developing severe COVID-19.

Genito-urinary Medicine: Females

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to update the Clinical Practice Guidance for the Assessment of Young Women aged 20-24 with Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding from 2010.

Maria Caulfield: The Clinical Practice Guidance for the Assessment of Young Women aged 20 to 24 years with Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding was produced by the former Public Health England. Since 2021, its functions have been shared across a number of organisations. NHS England and NHS Improvement have no plans to update this guidance. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence produce guidance and pathways for health professionals on possible cervix cancer, which is available at the following link:https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/cervical-cancer-hpv/

Brain: Tumours

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken since 2018 to support the need for research and research funding into brain tumours identified by the Task and Finish Group on Brain Tumour Research 2018-2019; and what assessment his Department has made of how current funding levels for brain tumours compare to funding levels prior to 2018.

Maria Caulfield: Since 2018, the Department has supported the establishment of the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM), a national convening body for all stakeholders engaged in brain tumour research, treatment and care. This unites professional, patient, charity and Governmental groups to share information and establish programmes working towards a cure for brain tumours. We have held customised workshops to support the research community to submit fundable research applications to the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). We will also provide funding for the research training elements of the Tessa Jowell Fellowships to train specialist brain tumour oncologists and increase the research community.The Department and the TJBCM are working to improve research and care for children and adults with brain cancer. This includes the launch of the Tessa Jowell BRAIN MATRIX, a new trials platform to provide access to trials of treatments best suited to individual tumours. Additionally, the Tessa Jowell Academy is a new free learning and networking platform, connecting 28 National Health Service brain tumour centres to share excellence in research, treatment and care.The Department is liaising with the Medical Research Council on initiatives to stimulate the research pipeline for brain tumours. The NIHR is also engaging with UK Research and Innovation. The Department also works with funding partners such as Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council and brain tumour charities, for research into new scientific discoveries. No comparative assessment of funding levels for brain tumours prior to 2018 has been made.

Dental Services: Contracts

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of (a) the number and proportion of dental practices in (i) the South East Region and (ii) the Brighton and Hove CCG area that are having problems delivering current NHS contractual requirements and (b) the staffing capacity of dental practices to join the new scheme to secure additional NHS appointments for vulnerable groups suffering from oral pain, disease and infection; what steps he will take to enable dental practices to join that scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Caulfield: No specific assessment has been made. Overall delivery of National Health Service activity and individual contract activity are monitored by NHS England and NHS Improvement. A reconciliation process is completed at the end of the financial year to determine final delivery levels for each contract. The NHS Business Services Authority also undertakes mid-year performance reviews on individual contracts to understand where contractors may not meet contracted activity levels by the end of the financial year. Information on these reviews is not held centrally.Where a contractor may not meet its contracted activity due to exceptional circumstances, they should contact their commissioner at the first opportunity. Guidance on exceptional circumstances has been extended during the pandemic, particularly in the last quarter of 2021/22 to address COVID-19 related staff absences. NHS regional teams are working with existing NHS dental contractors to commission activity funded by the additional £50 million investment. More staffing resource has been allocated to commissioning and engaged with Local Dental Networks to raise the profile of the scheme. This activity is additional to a practice’s current NHS activity and does not need to be delivered outside of normal practice hours. The scheme has been developed to be attractive to dentists, with those involved in the scheme to be paid more than a third in addition to their normal sessional fee.

National Institute for Health Research: Clinical Trials

Chris Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many participants were recruited into NIHR supported phase 3 trials for (a) dementia, (b) cancer, (c) stroke and (d) coronary heart disease over the last 10 years.

Maria Caulfield: The following table shows the number of participants recruited into phase three trials in England supported by the National Institute for Health Research since 1 April 2012.Dementia11,227Cancer107,569Stroke27,577Coronary heart disease*20,549 Note:*Includes studies on atherothrombosis and prevention of coronary artery disease.

Prostate Cancer: Diagnosis

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure early diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Maria Caulfield: NHS England and NHS Improvement partnered with Prostate Cancer UK to deliver a prostate cancer risk awareness campaign in February and March 2022. The campaign encouraged men to use Prostate Cancer UK’s clinically approved risk checker to help understand their level of risk and make an informed choice on further tests.

General Practitioners

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether GPs will continue to act as points of referral for community services, such as audiology, following the implementation of the Government's white paper on Health and social care integration, published on 9 February 2022.

Maria Caulfield: General practitioner (GP) practices are responsible for meeting the reasonable needs of their patients, including referring to appropriate services. GPs use their clinical judgement to best assess when it is appropriate to seek specialist expertise and will only make a referral if they believe that specialist assessment or treatment is necessary. General practices work with community health services and other health, social and voluntary sector partners in Primary Care Networks to deliver integrated and personalised care. The integration white paper emphasises the importance of this collaboration and GPs will continue to refer patients following the White Paper’s implementation.

Human Papillomavirus: Males

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the HPV rates for heterosexual males born before 2006 are as of 22 March 2022.

Maria Caulfield: The information is not held in the format requested.

Coronavirus: Screening

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department spent on free lateral flow tests in January 2022.

Maggie Throup: We are unable to provide the information requested as it is commercially sensitive.

Coronavirus: Screening

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department spent on free covid-19 testing in January 2022, broken down by test type.

Maggie Throup: We are unable to provide the information requested as it is commercially sensitive.

Healthy Start Scheme

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what transaction fees are incurred on purchases covered by Healthy Start prepaid cards and; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting charitable food providers from those fees.

Maggie Throup: The NHS Business Services Authority does not charge the retailer transaction fees for use of the Healthy Start pre-paid card. As for any card payment, retailers may be charged by their acquiring bank.

Healthy Start Scheme: Take-up

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when information on the uptake of the Healthy Start scheme by (a) region and (b) local authority will be published online.

Maggie Throup: The NHS Business Services Authority is currently transferring Healthy Start beneficiaries from the paper voucher scheme to the digital scheme. Once the transition process is complete, the number of beneficiaries on the digital scheme will be made available by region and local authority.

Healthy Start Scheme

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many beneficiaries of the Healthy Start scheme there were (a) before and (b) after digitisation of that scheme; and if he will provide an update.

Maggie Throup: The NHS Business Services Authority is currently transferring Healthy Start beneficiaries from the paper voucher scheme to the digital scheme. Once the transition process is complete, the number of beneficiaries on the digital scheme will be made available. Prior to the transition process, there were 346,754 beneficiaries on the Healthy Start paper voucher scheme.

Food: Advertising

Ben Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the comparative financial impact of restrictions on the promotion and placement of products that are high in fat, salt and sugar on (a) lower income and (b) other households; and what steps he plans to take to help mitigate any potential disproportionate impact on lower income households in the context of the rising cost of living.

Maggie Throup: The impact assessment for volume promotions such as ‘buy one get one free’ shows that it increases spending by 20% by encouraging households to purchase more than they need or intended to buy. The impact assessment for location promotions shows the placement of products within stores also significantly affects household spending, with end of aisle displays increasing sales of soft drinks by over 50%.

Healthy Start Scheme

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the number of people taking part in the Healthy Start scheme following the digitisation of that scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Maggie Throup: The NHS Business Services Authority is currently transferring Healthy Start beneficiaries from the paper voucher scheme to the digital scheme. Once the transition process is complete, further data will be made available. As of 16 March 2022, there were 311,972 successful applications to the digital scheme.

Healthy Start Scheme

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, (a) how many and (b) what percentage of existing beneficiaries of the Healthy Start scheme did not complete an application for a prepaid card and are no longer be able to receive Healthy Start; and if he will make a statement.

Maggie Throup: As of 16 March 2022, the NHS Business Service Authority estimates there were 72,597 households remaining on the paper voucher scheme yet to successfully transition to the digital scheme.This is an estimate based on the number of households on the paper voucher scheme on 17 February 2022 and the successful applications to the digital scheme since this date, therefore the information requested as a percentage is not available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Neale Hanvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Ministerial Statement HC WS324 made on 18 October 2021, whether his Department has plans for the continued supply and usage of tests on the Coronavirus Test Device Approvals (CTDA) exempt list after the 28 February 2022 deadline in the event the approval process is not completed on schedule.

Maggie Throup: There was no requirement for Coronavirus Test Device Approvals (CDTA) reviews to be completed by 28 February 2022. This date refers to a temporary protocol which applied from 1 November 2021 to 28 February 2022, which allowed tests to stay on the market pending their CTDA outcome.A new protocol containing two lists took effect from 1 March 2022, one for three months for certain devices until 31 May 2022 and one for six months until 31 August 2022, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-test-validation-approved-products/medical-devices-regulations-2002-protocols-effective-from-1-march-2022The new protocol allows the continued supply and procurement of those tests, whilst their CTDA application is being considered.

Evusheld

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in the context of the Conditional Marketing Authorisation awarded by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agencyon 17 March 2022, what plans he has to (a) procure Evusheld and (b) roll out the treatment to severely immunocompromised patients.

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many doses of the MHRA approved Evusheld covid-19 preventative treatment for immunocompromised patients his Department plans to procure; and when he expects to outline eligibility to receive this treatment.

Maggie Throup: We are unable to provide the information requested as this is commercially sensitive. Any public announcement would be made after an agreement is reached with companies.

Coronavirus: Surveys

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Office for National Statistic COVID-19 Infection Survey, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure (a) continued public participation in that survey and (b) provision of scientifically significant data on covid-19 trends.

Maggie Throup: The Government will continue monitoring the virus through maintaining surveillance studies such as the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) COVID-19 Infection Survey. Based on participant feedback, the ONS is providing a more flexible approach, allowing samples to be posted and a digital questionnaire rather than face-to-face appointments at home. Other options including phone support and video guides will be available to participants, to ensure the survey monitors a representative cohort.

Coronavirus: Death

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the proportion of people who have died from covid-19 in the last 12 months who were unvaccinated.

Maggie Throup: No specific estimate has been made. However, the UK Health Security Agency publishes the numbers and rates of COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths by vaccination status by age for the most recent four-week period on a weekly basis. Between the week commencing 21 February 2022 and the week ending 20 March 2022, of 2,084 people who died within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test, 202 or approximately 10% were not vaccinated.

Evusheld

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to rollout Evusheld to immunocompromised and immunosuppressed patients.

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when Evusheld will be made available to (a) adults and children over 12 who have primary and secondary antibody deficiency, and who may not produce an adequate response to covid vaccines (b) those for whom vaccination is not recommended.

Maggie Throup: We are unable to provide the information requested as this is commercially sensitive. Any public announcement on the procurement of treatments would be made after an agreement is reached with companies.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits to public health of offering every adult over the age of 60 an immediate covid-19 booster; and if he will make a statement.

Maggie Throup: The primary aim of the spring COVID-19 vaccination programme is to reduce the risk of severe disease in the population. Those aged 60 to 74 years old have a lower rate of admission to hospital for COVID-19 than those aged 75 years old and over. Based on an assessment of the available evidence, protection against severe COVID-19 disease after the first booster dose declines slowly therefore the most vulnerable groups have been prioritised.The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation continues to consider the latest available data and its review of the booster programme, particularly in relation to the timing and benefit of any additional booster doses for public health.

Health: Noise

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) mental health and wellbeing and (b) physical wellbeing of residents in Noise Important Areas.

Maggie Throup: No assessment has been made. The relevant transport authorities are responsible for examining Noise Important Areas and forming a view about what measures, if any, might be taken in order to assist with the implementation of the Government’s noise policy to promote good health and a good quality of life through the management of noise. The UK Health Security Agency provides advice and analysis relating to the Government’s recommended methodology for the quantification and valuation of the impacts of noise on health.

Coronavirus: York

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will hold discussions with the Director of Public health for York on increases in covid-19 infection levels in that area.

Maggie Throup: The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) regional teams have regular contact with Directors of Public Health and local authority public health teams, including in York, to discuss trends in local data and offer guidance regarding the necessary measures required to address infection levels in identified settings. The UKHSA’s Yorkshire and the Humber Health Protection Team continues to monitor COVID-19 levels in the region.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Coronavirus

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are eligible for a fourth dose of a covid-19 vaccine this spring.

Maggie Throup: The primary aim of the spring COVID-19 vaccination programme is to reduce the risk of severe disease across the population. As protection against severe COVID-19 disease appears to decline slowly, the most vulnerable groups have been prioritised for vaccination.All individuals over the age of 75 years old, residents in a care home for adults or individuals aged 12 years old and over who are immunosuppressed are eligible for the spring booster dose approximately six months after their previous dose. These categories will include some individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation continues to consider the latest available data and its review of the booster programme, particularly in relation to the timing and value of any second booster doses.

Coronavirus: Screening

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to continue free covid-19 testing in special schools and children’s care homes in England; and if he will make a statement.

Maggie Throup: From 1 April 2022, free universal access to lateral flow device testing for the public in England will end. We will continue to make free testing available for a small number of at risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be available in due course.

Coronavirus: York

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to increased rates of hospitalisation due to covid-19 in York in March 2022, if he will take steps to maintain covid-19 testing in York.

Maggie Throup: We are monitoring the changes in case rates and hospitalisations, including those in York. We will continue to make free testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be available in due course.

Coronavirus: Surveys

Kim Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will reconsider the decision that the UKHSA will scale down the COVID-19 Infection Survey (CIS) announced in the Government’s Living with COVID-19 Strategy, published on 21 February 2022.

Maggie Throup: The Government will continue monitoring the virus through maintaining surveillance studies such as the Office for National Statistics’ COVID-19 Infection Survey and other data sources, including genomic sequencing. The Government will keep all surveillance activities under review to ensure we have the capabilities to monitor waves of COVID-19 and defend against future variants.

Coronavirus: Screening

Neale Hanvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans the Government has to improve the transparency of the Coronavirus Test Device Approval process.

Maggie Throup: The Government is satisfied with the level of transparency throughout the Coronavirus Test Device Approval process.

Coronavirus: Mortality Rates

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he uses covid-19 mortality levels to inform his Department's decisions on covid-19 restrictions.

Maggie Throup: The Government considers a wide range of data when making decisions on COVID-19 restrictions, which includes mortality rates.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 16 March 2022 to Question 119676, what further steps his Department plans to implement to control covid-19 infection and mortality in response to rising covid-19 infection rates and hospitalisations.

Maggie Throup: The Government will manage COVID-19 in line with most other respiratory illnesses, while aiming to protect those most vulnerable. The best defence against COVID-19 infection and the risk of hospitalisation is vaccination. As of 20 March 2022, in England 85.6% of the population aged 12 years old and over has received two doses of vaccine and 71.7% of those aged 18 years old and over has received a third primary dose or booster vaccination. On 21 February, the Government accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on offering a further dose to some individuals in a spring COVID-19 vaccination programme. The primary aim of the programme is to reduce the risk of severe disease among the most vulnerable. A further dose will be offered to adults aged 75 years old and over, residents in care homes for older adults and individuals aged 12 years old and over who are immunosuppressed.The Government has secured a total of 4.98 million patient courses of oral antiviral treatments as a further measure to protect against COVID-19, particularly for those who are not eligible for the vaccine or who have been vaccinated but do not develop sufficient immunity.

Coronavirus: Screening

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he will publish covid-19 testing guidance for (a) NHS and (b) wider social care staff from 1 April 2022.

Maggie Throup: Further information will be published in due course.

Coronavirus: Surveys

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Office for National Statistics will continue its Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey beyond April 2022.

Maggie Throup: The UK Health Security Agency will maintain critical surveillance capabilities including the Office for National Statistics’ COVID-19 Infection Survey population level survey. The Government will keep all surveillance activities under review to ensure we have the capabilities to monitor waves of COVID-19 and defend against future variants.

Co-proxamol: Prescriptions

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will re-consider the prescription of co-proxamol on the NHS in the UK.

Edward Argar: As a result of the safety concerns relating to co-proxamol and its subsequent withdrawal from the market in January 2005, co-proxamol is not recommended for routine prescribing in England. This is detailed in the joint NHS England and NHS Improvement and National Health Service clinical commissioners’ guidance issued in 2019 to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), for medicines with low clinical effectiveness, where there is a lack of robust evidence of clinical effectiveness or there are significant safety concerns.In the case of co-proxamol, this was deemed to be a product with significant safety concerns. The guidance recommends to CCGs that prescribers in primary care should not initiate co-proxamol for any new patient and de-prescribing of co-proxamol in all patients should be supported and, where appropriate, ensure the availability of relevant services to facilitate this change. We expect CCGs to take this guidance into account and prescribers to reflect local policies in their prescribing practice. However, the guidance does not remove the clinical discretion of the prescriber.

Nutrition

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances' pricing policy for medical nutrition products is; and whether this pricing policy is applied equally to all companies producing those products.

Edward Argar: The Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances pricing policy governs the pricing of all borderline substances listed in Part XV of the Drug Tariff. The terms of the policy are dependent on the type of product application. Type 1 applications relate to new formulations where there is no comparable product on the market and the applicant proposes a price. Type 2 applications are for formulations similar to formulations on the market and the applicant compares the price with those of similar formulations. Type 3 applications are for products on the market that the manufacturer wants to change or increase in price. Products can increase in price once every 12 months in line the current Retail Price Index (excluding mortgages) or an average of the preceding 12 months, whichever is higher. Manufacturers can apply for increases above this benchmark provided it can be evidenced that it will save money for the National Health Service. These terms apply equally to all manufacturers.

Bunzl Healthcare: Protective Clothing

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department (a) has spent and (b) estimates it will spend on the judicial review proceedings launched by the Good Law Project regarding the £22.6m contract awarded by his Department to Bunzl for personal procurement equipment procurement in April 2020.

Edward Argar: The Department has so far spent £722,999, excluding VAT in direct costs, which is estimated to increase to approximately around £1.2 million before VAT.

Protective Clothing: Procurement

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the amount of money it has (a) already spent and (b) will spend in total, on defending legal challenges from the Good Law Project regarding the use of the high priority lane for personal protective equipment contracts.

Edward Argar: To date, the Department has spent approximately £2.12 million excluding VAT in direct costs. Following the court’s dismissal of the claim, the claimant was order to pay £250,000 inclusive of VAT towards the Department’s costs.

Incontinence: Health Services

Dr Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether integrated care systems have assessed local continence needs; and whether his Department has a strategy in place to meet such needs from April 2022.

Dr Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of levels of adherence to the guidance entitled Excellence in Continence Care.

Gillian Keegan: Integrated care boards (ICBs) will take on the commissioning functions of clinical commissioning groups and some of NHS England’s commissioning functions. While there are no specific requirements to assess local continence needs, ICBs will be responsible for providing a comprehensive health service for the local population based on its needs.No assessment has yet been made of levels of adherence to the Excellence in Continence Care guidance. However, NHS England is planning an assessment of adherence to Excellence in Continence Care, which is anticipated to start later in 2022.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on removing or reducing covid-19 self-isolation guidance for care homes in the context of changes to national guidance.

Gillian Keegan: We will publish updated infection prevention and control guidance before 1 April for the next phase of the COVID-19 response, including on self-isolation for care home residents. The Department has engaged with stakeholders to inform the guidance, including workshops, meetings and opportunities to comment on earlier drafts.

Mental Health Services: Children

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of Monday 14 March 2022 to Question 119826, if he will specify (a) the source and sum of the funds allocated to the care providers and (b) the criteria for selection of the care providers.

Gillian Keegan: The information is not held in the format requested. Specialist care for children and young people from a non-white ethnic background with serious mental health problems is funded by local and national commissioners. Services are provided in the same way for people from all ethnic backgrounds and by a range of providers in England.

Audiology: Health Services

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure equal levels of access to audiology services across the UK.

Gillian Keegan: The ‘Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Guidance’, the ‘Action Plan on Hearing Loss’ and the ‘Commissioning Services for People with Hearing Loss: A framework for clinical commissioning groups’ support local authorities and National Health Service commissioners to meet statutory duties. These include the assessment of the needs of local populations, to take account of health inequalities and commission high-quality services to meet local hearing needs and improve public health. The Chief Scientific Officer for England and Senior Responsible Officer for audiology, Professor Dame Sue Hill, is working with the Hearing Loss and Deafness Alliance to refresh current guidance in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.We have also announced £2.3 billion to launch up to 160 community diagnostic centres (CDCs) by March 2025. The location and configuration of CDCs is being designed with local systems to support more equal access to diagnostic services, including audiology. The National Health Service is also working with the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme to implement the recommendations from its ear, nose and throat surgery report to reduce unwarranted variation in audiology services.

Mental Health Services: Waiting Lists

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will introduce maximum waiting list times for adults accessing mental health services, such as ADHD services, in England.

Gillian Keegan: NHS England and NHS Improvement have consulted on the potential to introduce five new waiting time standards. This includes a standard for adults and older adults presenting to community-based mental health services to receive help within four weeks from referral. However, this is not a maximum waiting time. NHS England and NHS Improvement published the outcomes of the consultation on 22 February 2022 and we will work with the National Health Service on the next steps. Local commissioners and providers in England should have due regard to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guideline: ‘Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management’ with respect to adult ADHD assessments. While this guideline does not recommend a maximum waiting time for people to receive an ADHD assessment, it recommends that mental health services should form multidisciplinary specialist teams and/or clinics for adults, which should have expertise in the diagnosis and management of ADHD.

Veterans: Mental Health Services

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to record how many veterans are seen by NHS commissioned services for mental health support, including (a) time to enter treatment and (b) the length of treatment offered on delivery.

Gillian Keegan: Veterans may be seen in a variety of National Health Service mental health services including the bespoke veteran mental health services that Op COURAGE provides. The average time to be seen for assessment by the Transition Intervention and Liaison service, within Op COURAGE was nine days in January 2022. The length of treatment offered by the Op COURAGE service is dependent on an individual’s clinical need.Veterans can also access Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services which record the number of ex-service members seen via NHS commissioned services for mental health support. In 2021, there were 15,782 ex-service members accessing IAPT treatment. In Quarter 3 of 2021/22, 91.4% had a first treatment appointment within six weeks and 98.5% with 18 weeks. The mean number of sessions received was 7.9. These waiting times and the number of treatment sessions are similar to all to IAPT patients.

Social Services

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has conducted financial modelling to support proposals to allow self-funders to arrange care at council rates.

Gillian Keegan: From October 2023, we will enable more self-funders in care homes to ask their local authority to arrange their care by further commencing Section 18(3) of the Care Act 2014. The impact assessment, published in January 2022, presents the impacts of these changes, which will vary across local markets and will depend on local circumstances, such as the number of self-funders and the extent to which top-ups are utilised to support user choice. We are currently seeking views on the introduction of this policy via the ‘Operational guidance to implement a lifetime cap on care costs’ consultation, which is open until 1 April 2022.

Audiology: Romford

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for audiology appointments in Romford Constituency.

Gillian Keegan: North East London Clinical Commissioning Group is not aware of any specific issues relating to audiology waiting times within Havering, including Romford constituency. Barking Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust consistently achieves the diagnostics waiting times performance with no patient waiting in excess of six weeks in the last year. The local community provider reports similar performance, with 99.9% of patients seen by the 18 week target to date in 2021/22. We have announced £2.3 billion to support the launch of up to 160 community diagnostic centres (CDCs) to increase capacity for audiology assessments. Existing CDCs have provided an additional 737 audiology assessments from February to 6 March 2022. The National Health Service is also working with the Getting It Right First Time programme to implement the recommendations from its ear, nose and throat surgery report to increase productivity in audiology services.

Medicine: Students

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken with the Secretary of State for Education to increase the numbers of medicine course places which exempt students from student loan repayment and fees if they stay with the NHS for a set period of time.

Edward Argar: No medical school places in England exempt students from student loan repayment or fees if they stay with the National Health Service for a set period of time. The Government has no current plans to introduce such an exemption.

Hospitals: Temporary Employment

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total cost to NHS hospitals was of using (a) agency and (b) bank staff in each year since 2010-11.

Edward Argar: A table showing agency spend for the years 2011/12 to 2019/20 and bank spend between 2017/18 to 2019/20 is attached. Agency spend data is not available for 2010/11 and bank spend is not available before 2017/18. Data for bank and agency spending in 2020/21 is not yet available.PQ136538 table of data (docx, 19.1KB)

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has received a response to his recent letter requesting a progress update on the hospital transformation project in Shrewsbury and Telford; and what assessment he has made of the likelihood of the review and approval processes being completed in a timely manner, in the context of the current configuration on ambulance response and handover times.

Edward Argar: A response was received on 4 March 2022. NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust to ensure the Strategic Outline Case meets the relevant criteria, to avoid unnecessary delays and allow review and approval in a timely manner. As of March 2022, £1.1 million from a total of £6 million in early funding has been made available to the Trust to continue developing the programme.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to provide a substantive Answer to Question 80914, tabled on 24 November 2021 by the hon. Member for Halton.

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to answer the letter from the hon. Member for Halton of 30 April 2021 in respect of Laura Higginson.

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to provide a substantive Answer to Question 80914, tabled on 24 November 2021.

Edward Argar: The Department received the hon. Member’s letter in November 2021. We replied on 25 March 2022.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to answer Question 101744, tabled on 11 January 2022 by the hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne, on Covid-19 Testing Taskforce: Andrew Feldman Associates.

Edward Argar: I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question 101744.

Members: Correspondence

Robert Largan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to Question 117116 tabled on 2 February 2022 on Members: Correspondence, when he plans to respond to the enquiry from the hon. Member for High Peak of 15 December 2021, referenced RL31475.

Edward Argar: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 March to Question 117116.

Health

Marco Longhi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department defines health and wellbeing, as it applies to the Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy; and what assessment he has made of the compatibility of that definition with that used by the World Health Organisation.

Marco Longhi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has provided guidance to health and wellbeing boards on how health and wellbeing is to be applied within the context of the Government heat and buildings strategy.

Edward Argar: The Department has issued no specific definitions or guidance in relation to health and wellbeing nor made a specific assessment of the compatibility with the World Health Organization’s definition. However, the Department of Health and Social Care continues to work with the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on its heat and buildings strategy to ensure that health and wellbeing are considered

Unispace Global: Contracts

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what items of personal protective equipment (PPE) the Government procured from Unispace Global Limited; how much was paid to that company from the public purse; when Unispace Global Limited was paid; how many items of PPE procured were used by the NHS; and whether his Department had rated it as green, amber or red in its financial assessment.

Edward Argar: The Department does not currently hold the information in the format requested.

Sexual Assault Referral Centres: Staff

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many full-time equivalent staff have been employed in Sexual Assault Referral Centres in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Gillian Keegan: The information requested is not held centrally. Each Sexual Assault Referral Centre is delivered by an independent community-based healthcare provider.

Ulcerative Colitis

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in the last three years.

Gillian Keegan: The information is not collected in the format requested.

Kidney Diseases: Dialysis Machines

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to ensure that people with kidney failure receiving home dialysis treatment, which uses high volumes of electricity, are supported with their energy costs; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government plans to take to help ensure that people with kidney failure receiving home dialysis treatment, which uses large volumes of electricity, are able to maintain their energy requirements as energy costs rise; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to mitigate the potential effect of rising energy costs on health inequalities for people with kidney failure receiving home dialysis treatment, which uses large volumes of electricity; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care currently has no specific plans. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is responsible for monitoring the energy market to ensure it meets the need of all consumers, including those receiving medical treatment at home.

Dementia: Diagnosis

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure the NHS meets the national targets for dementia diagnosis.

Gillian Keegan: NHS England and NHS Improvement continue to monitor the dementia diagnosis rate on a monthly basis and provide analysis on trends at a regional and sustainability and transformation partnership level to aid targeted recovery efforts. In 2021/22, we allocated £17 million to NHS England and NHS Improvement to address dementia waiting lists and increase the number of diagnoses. This funding was made available to clinical commissioning groups in June 2021. Later this year we will set out our plans for dementia in England, which will include a focus on dementia diagnosis.

Care Homes: Visits

Jane Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with representatives of the social care sector on testing requirements for visitors to care homes after the ending of free covid-19 tests on 1 April 2022; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Keegan: The Department has regular meetings with stakeholders and senior sector representatives to discuss a range of issues related to adult social care, including visitor testing. The testing regimes for adult social care after 1 April 2022 are currently under review. Further details will be provided shortly.

Cannabis: Medical Treatments

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase trials of non-inhaled medical cannabis for people living with chronic cancer or non-cancer pain.

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to provide patients suffering from chronic pain with the option of accessing medicinal cannabis.

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Welsh Government and (b) patient representatives on making medicinal cannabis accessible to patients suffering from chronic pain conditions.

Maria Caulfield: The Department routinely corresponds with the Welsh Government and patient representatives on making medicinal cannabis accessible to patients suffering from chronic pain. The Government has allowed specialist doctors to prescribe cannabis-based products, where clinically appropriate and in the best interests of patients. However, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that cannabis-based products for medicinal use are not offered to manage chronic pain in adults and that cannabidiol (CBD) only be offered as part of a clinical trial.NICE recognises the lack of evidence to support the use of these medicines and recommends that further research is carried out on the clinical and cost effectiveness of CBD as an additional treatment for adults with fibromyalgia or for persistent treatment resistant neuropathic pain. The National Institute for Health Research welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including chronic pain. As for all other medicines, it is the responsibility of the manufacturers to generate the evidence required for assessment by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and NICE.

Cancer: Waiting Lists

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people in Halton CCG catchment area had been waiting longer that two weeks to see a cancer specialist as of 22 March 2022.

Maria Caulfield: Information for March 2022 is not available. However, as of January 2022, 36 of 906 patients waiting for a two-week urgent referral from a general practitioner in the Halton Clinical Commissioning Group catchment area had been waiting longer than two weeks.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2022 to Question 136495 on Coronavirus: Health Services, for what reason no money has been allocated to research to improve diagnosis and treatment of covid-19 vaccine damage other than for blood clotting with low platelets; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Caulfield: The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR has allocated approximately £117,509,455 for COVID-19 vaccine research, including monitoring of adverse reactions and trials of the Pfizer, Novavax and Janssen vaccines where safety and efficacy was the primary focus.The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2022 to Question 136495 on Coronavirus: Health Services, what research on the safety of covid-19 vaccinations is being supported by the National Institute for Health Research; what the nature of that support is; what her planned timetable is for the conclusion of that research; and whether she plans to publish those conclusions.

Maria Caulfield: The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has allocated approximately £117,509,455 for COVID-19 vaccine research, including trials of the Pfizer, Novavax and Janssen vaccines which examined vaccine safety. Researchers funded by the NIHR are expected to publish their findings in a peer-reviewed, open access journal.Vaccines are tested through a series of clinical trials to establish their safety and efficacy before they are authorised for use. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) publishes a full analysis from all clinical trials for vaccines which have been authorised in the United Kingdom. During widespread use, the MHRA monitors safety and publishes a weekly summary of reported suspected side effects through its Yellow Card scheme.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide an update on his Department's response to each of the 25 recommendations made by the Health and Social Care Committee in its Eighth Report, Children and Young People's Mental Health, HC 17, published on 9 December 2021; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Keegan: We welcome the Committee’s report. In our response to the Health and Social Care Committee’s report, we set out where we agreed with its recommendations or where we are taking forward the recommendations in part or in full. We will be considering the recommendations in full during the development of a new long term cross-Government plan for mental health. We are launching a wide-ranging discussion paper and call for evidence to support development of the plan. The Committee’s inquiry and evidence from witnesses will be considered during this process.

Dentistry: Vacancies

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to tackle the shortfall in NHS dental (a) surgeons, (b) nurses and (c) other staff.

Maria Caulfield: NHS England and NHS Improvement are leading on the reforms to the National Health Service dental contract, working with the Department and the British Dental Association. Changes to the system will make the NHS dental offer more attractive for dentists and their teams.Health Education England (HEE) has set out a range of recommendations in the ‘Advancing Dental Care Review’, which aim to tackle recruitment, retention and attracting dentists into the NHS. These recommendations are being implemented through HEE’s dental education reform programme.

Department of Health and Social Care: Randox Laboratories

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish all (a) records, (b) documents and (c) minutes his Department holds in respect of the phone call held on 9 April 2020 between the then health minister, Lord Bethell, and the former Rt. Hon Member for North Shropshire and Randox to discuss covid-19 testing; and if he will make a statement.

Maggie Throup: A redacted copy of the Ministerial briefing note provided in advance of the discussion is attached.Attachment (pdf, 278.8KB)

Prime Minister

P&O Ferries

Sarah Owen: To ask the Prime Minister, what was discussed at the most recent meeting he held with officials at P&O Ferries.

Boris Johnson: I refer the Hon. member to the answer given to 142524.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit: Greater London

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new universal credit claimants in (a) Feltham and Heston, (b) Hounslow and (c) London waited longer than 5 weeks for their first payment in 2021.

David Rutley: Universal Credit payment timeliness statistics for new claims are published in Table 6 in the Households on Universal Credit section on Stat-Xplore. These figures can be filtered by different geographies and can be found at:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/ Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

Access to Work Programme

Marion Fellows: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the access to work scheme, what is the total number of applications that have been (a) awarded the maximum payment cap grant and (b) rejected due to exceeding the payment cap.

Chloe Smith: The information requested on the total number of applications that were a) awarded the maximum payment cap grant and b) rejected due to exceeding the payment cap, is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.The latest Access to Work statistics can be found here:Access to Work statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Access to Work Programme

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance her Department has provided to people who need to book a support workers but are experiencing excessive delays with Access to Work when (a) submitting a new application and (b) seeking to renewal their grant.

Chloe Smith: People applying for Access to Work for the first time are advised not to procure support until they have spoken to their Access to Work case manager to safeguard the individual from paying out money that we would not reimburse. After an initial conversation, the Access to Work case manager can put interim funding in place from the date of application to an estimated decision date.When applying for a renewal application, customers who have a support worker(s), are advised to continue to book support at the rate agreed in their previous award, as Access to Work will be unable to reimburse customers for any costs which have not previously been agreed.DWP is working hard to put support in place in the shortest timescale possible and streamline the renewal process for customers reapplying for on-going support to enable funding to be reimbursed quickly

Carers: Cost of Living

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to take steps to support unpaid carers with the recent increase in the cost of living.

Chloe Smith: I refer the Rt Hon member to the answer I gave to Question Number 142004.

Minimum Wage: Recruitment

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobs are listed on her Department's website that are advertised at rates under the national minimum wage of £9.50 per hour as of 22 March 2022.

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department takes to ensure that job advertisements live on its website are compliant with National Minimum Wage legislation; and if she will make a statement.

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what processes are in place for reporting employers that may attempt to advertise jobs on her Department's website that fail to comply with National Minimum Wage legislation to HMRC Minimum Wage Complaint Unit; and if she will make a statement.

Mims Davies: All adverts listed on Find a job meet the National Minimum Wage, with the exception of a small number resulting from user error on the part of the employer. When entering details of their job advert into Find a job the employer is presented with 2 options for stating the wages/salary. They can provide a minimum and maximum rate of pay and select the period this applies to, for example hourly, weekly or annually. Alternatively, they can confirm that the job will pay at least the National Minimum Wage. The employer is also required to state whether the job is full time (30 hours per week or more) or part time (less than 30 hours per week). When full time is selected Find a job validates that the wages/salary on offer meets National Minimum Wage. The advert cannot be posted until this condition is met. When part time is selected the validation ensures that the hourly rates entered meet or exceed National Minimum Wage and highlights to the employer where this is not the case; the employer cannot proceed with the advert until this condition is met. However, we know that on a small number of occasions the employer then goes on to mistakenly select the incorrect period this wage applies to. This can lead to adverts showing wages of, for example, £8.91 per year when clearly it should be per hour. Additional manual checks are performed to identify and remove such adverts. Additionally, if a user finds any error with a job advert – with the rate of pay or anything else - they can use the ‘report this job’ feature and the DWP team will investigate and if appropriate remove the advert. There is no separate process in place for reporting employers to HMRC’s Minimum Wage Complaint Unit.

Household Support Fund: Greater London

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much and what proportion of the announced increase of the Household Support Fund will be assigned to (a) Haringey and (b) London.

David Rutley: Individual local authority indicative allocations for the Household Support Fund will be announced shortly.

P&O Ferries: Redundancy

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of P&O’s decision to terminate the employment of 800 of its staff on the future viability of the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund.

Guy Opperman: The Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund (MNRPF) is a private sector, multi-employer scheme. The UK has a robust and flexible framework for pension scheme funding, to protect members benefits. The accrued benefits of UK P&O staff will be protected by these arrangements. The independent Pensions Regulator is working closely with the trustee of the MNRPF in its role to protect pension scheme savers. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.

Universal Credit: Feltham and Heston

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claimants are repaying universal credit advances in Feltham and Heston constituency as of 22 March 2022.

David Rutley: There were 2,800 households in the Feltham and Heston constituency who had an advance repayment in November 2021. This accounts for 17% of all UC households in the Feltham and Heston constituency.

Universal Credit: Greater London

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are repaying historic debts attached to their universal credit claim which have arisen from past benefits overpayments in (a) Feltham and Heston constituency, (b) Hounslow and (c) London as of 22 March 2022; and of those, how many and what proportion of historic debts go back over (i) five, (ii) 10 and (c) 15 years.

David Rutley: The Department does not hold the requested information by geographical area.

Access to Work Programme

Marion Fellows: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the access to work scheme, how many applications have had their processing been delayed (a) in total and (b) for a duration of (i) 0 to 6 months, (ii) 6 to 12 months and (iii) over 12 months.

Chloe Smith: I am not able to provide information regarding how many applications have had their processing delayed (a) in total and (b) for a duration of (i) 0 to 6 months, (ii) 6 to 12 months and (iii) over 12 months, as we do not hold this data. The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Access to Work are currently receiving an increased level of applications for support and are working through all applications to ensure that they are progressed as soon as possible. For applications where a customer is due to begin a job with a start date within 4 weeks, their case will be prioritised, and contact made as soon as possible. For renewal applications for on-going support, these are also being prioritised and in the majority of cases, support approved using a new streamlined process. Access to Work are also recruiting additional staff to meet the increased customer demand.

Universal Credit: Refugees

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether capital held outside of the UK by Ukrainian refugees will be treated as capital for the purposes of their universal credit eligibility.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of whether the time taken to determine Ukrainian refugees' eligibility for universal credit will be affected in the event that they hold capital outside the UK.

David Rutley: The emergency regulations laid on Monday 21 March 2022 ensure that Ukrainian evacuees can access Universal Credit and jobs support immediately. Each claim for benefit will be assessed individually and as quickly as possible. Available capital in the form of savings and investments will be taken into account. In order to be eligible for Universal Credit, claimants may have capital in the form of savings and investments of up to £16,000. Only capital in excess of £6,000 would cause Universal Credit to be reduced.

Merchant Shipping: Pension Funds

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what exposure her Department has to the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund.

Guy Opperman: The Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund is a private sector multi-employer scheme.

Social Security Benefits: Refugees

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what additional resources she is allocating to support the efficient processing of claims for assistance for refugees relocated under the Ukrainian visa schemes.

David Rutley: The Government’s new Ukraine Family Scheme and ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme will help thousands of Ukrainian families and individuals to enter the country. DWP is working closely with the Home Office to understand potential demand.Under these schemes Ukrainian evacuees will have the right to work here from day one, as well as immediate access to the benefit system and our existing employment offer, including our £30 billion Plan for Jobs. Ukrainian evacuees who claim benefits like Universal Credit will have access to direct, personalised employment support from experienced Jobcentre Plus work coaches, who will help them to find and move into employment, with extra support available through DWP’s Flexible Support Fund. Translation services are available to help new arrivals with phone applications, with Work Coaches in DWP Jobcentres on hand to support people making claims online. DWP staff are also delivering additional face-to-face assistance to those who need it – including tailored support to find work and advice on benefit eligibility – and will continue to do so.DWP’s National Employer Partnerships Team (NEPT) has received a number of approaches from employers. All have been contacted and advised that we will be in touch to take details of their opportunities to share with the wider DWP.Timeframes are still being finalised and there is regular discussion with Other Government Departments. Refugee Employment Network are also linked into activity and will be involved in sharing opportunities.

Carer's Allowance: Uprating

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the impact on the finances of unpaid carers of uprating Carer's Allowance by 3.1 per cent in the context of a predicted increase in inflation of 7.25 per cent.

Chloe Smith: I refer the Hon member to the answer I gave on 24 March 2022 to Question Number 142004.

State Retirement Pensions: Forms

Olivia Blake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has plans to review (a) support and (b) processes for applicants who require large print versions of state pensions forms in a paper format.

Guy Opperman: The online State Pension new claims service, Get your State Pension (GySP) is an accessible service so citizens have the option to manually enlarge the text on screen if required. The invitation letter sent to all citizens to invite a new claim to State Pension (SP) has the opening paragraph: If you would like Braille, British Sign Language, a hearing loop, translations, large print, audio or something else, please phone 0800 731 0469 or textphone 0800 731 7339. Additionally, during the claims process, the citizen is also asked if they have any alternative format requirements, such as Large Print. If the citizen selects ‘yes’, this triggers the central computer system to be updated to show they want letters in large print and the letters they receive will automatically be in large print. A paper claim form, for State Pension (BR1) including large print and Braille versions, is readily available upon request. The form has recently been adapted to meet a RNIB request for accessibility. By contacting telephone 0800 731 0469 or textphone 0800 731 7339 the citizen will be asked if an alternative format [such as Large print] is required. Again, the computer system is updated to show they want letters in large print and the letters they receive will automatically be in large print.The BR1 claim form is also available for printing on GOV.UK . This is for old rules citizens (men born before 6 April 1951 and women born before 6 April 1953). When printing the BR1 form, the citizen can choose to change the paper size - to print the BR1 form on A3 size paper if required. The new State Pension BR1 form was removed from GOV.UK in 2021 as part of the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) review. This was due to the availability of an accessible on-line claiming service. The Pension Service continually tries to improve its services to customers and ensures processes are kept under review as necessary.

Carers: Cost of Living

Virginia Crosbie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that unpaid carers are financially supported in the context of the increased cost of living; and what assessment she made of the potential merits of removing the earnings cap for eligibility of carer's allowance.

Chloe Smith: On the first question, I refer the Hon member to the answer I gave on 24 March 2022 to Question Number 142004.On the second question, I refer the Hon member to the answer I gave on 10 February 2022 to question number 120937.

Pension Credit: Feltham and Heston

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate she has made of the number of people who may be eligible for Pension Credit who are not yet claiming it in Feltham and Heston constituency.

Guy Opperman: Estimates for the number of people eligible for Pension Credit are only available at the Great Britain level. The latest publication relates to the financial year 2019 to 2020. Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year 2019 to 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Home Office

Visas: Ukraine

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many visas have been issued under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Kevin Foster: The Scheme has only been running for a short period so far, details on the number of visas issued will be released in due course.

Visas: Ukraine

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Ukrainian children who lack individual passports are required to attend visa application centres to apply for the (a) the Ukraine Family Scheme and (b) Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Kevin Foster: If children have a valid passport, they will not need to give biometrics.If a child does not have a valid passport, they will need to attend a VAC to have their biometric information taken.

Homes for Ukraine Scheme: Children

Sarah Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Ukrainian government regarding the inclusion of unaccompanied Ukrainian minors in Phase 1 of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Kevin Foster: We recognise the deeply troubling circumstances faced by all Ukrainians who are caught up in this conflict, including unaccompanied minors. Safeguarding and protection of these vulnerable children is paramount.The routes and visa changes which we have announced so far follow extensive engagement with the Ukrainian Government to ensure they respond directly to their concerns. The Ukrainian Government stated to the UK Government in writing on 7th March 2022 that: “any Ukrainian Child who is currently outside Ukraine may not be adopted or placed in the care of foreigners without the consent of Ukraine”. The current rules in relation to unaccompanied children and the Home for Ukraine Scheme therefore respect this position.We will continue to work closely with the Ukrainian Government going forward as to how we can work together to support unaccompanied children displaced by the conflict.

Scientists: Ukraine

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing and funding a route for Ukrainian scientists to travel to and work in the UK.

Kevin Foster: We have established the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine scheme which allow those from Ukraine to come to the UK for a period of up to 36 months.Those arriving under these schemes will have full unrestricted work rights, allowing them to work for any employer, in any sector and in any role. People on both schemes will have full and unrestricted access to benefits, healthcare, employment and other support. Both schemes are free to apply and there will be no limit to the number of Ukrainians who can benefit.Separately, other routes continue to exist such as Skilled Worker and Global Talent which would allow Ukrainian scientists to come to the UK using the points-based system.

Members: Correspondence

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's policy is on Ministers answering letters from hon. Members that are specifically addressed to them.

Kevin Foster: When a hon. Member makes a written enquiry to either the Home Secretary or an Immigration Minister, a Ministerial response will normally be provided by the appropriate Minister.There will occasionally be circumstances where replies are provided by officials where the query is one which can be suitably answered by them, for example a query about an individual case where an update can be provided to indicate it has been granted, or where the member has simply forwarded a standard item of correspondence which has already been received multiple times.

Fraud

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Government will publish its Fraud Action Plan for 2022-25.

Damian Hinds: The action plan will be part of the Fraud Strategy which will be published in 2022.

Visas: EU Countries

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of European Community Association Agreement visa renewal applications have been under consideration for over a year.

Kevin Foster: Home Office Migration Statistics do not routinely capture or publish information on what proportion of European Community Association Agreement applications have been under consideration for more than a year.

Visas: Ukraine

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will consider lifting the requirement for Ukraine Family Scheme applicants to travel to visa application centres in other countries to finalise their application.

Kevin Foster: The Home Secretary updated Parliament on 10 March about the government's support for people fleeing Ukraine, including the need to visit a visa application centre to provide biometric data.https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/home-secretary-update-on-support-for-ukrainians

Refugees: Afghanistan

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has given to caseworkers in her Department who are advising applicants to the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme that have lost their required documents in Afghanistan.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of offering a fee-waiver to people applying to the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme who have lost their required documents in Afghanistan.

Kevin Foster: The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme commenced on 6th January, providing up to 20,000 women, children and others at risk with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK. Those resettled through the ACRS will receive fee-free indefinite leave to enter or remain (ILR) in the UK.  There is no application process for the ACRS. Prioritisation and referral for resettlement will be in one of 3 ways, as set out in the policy statement https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghanistan-resettlement-and-immigration-policy-statement All individuals referred for resettlement under any of the ACRS pathways will be security screened, including checks against security and other databases and capturing biometrics. Those who have lost documents, are dealt with on a case by case basis by caseworkers.

Asylum: Children

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied asylum-seeking children staring to be looked after by local authorities between 14 July and 22 November 2021 were (a) accommodated in hotels upon or after arriving in the UK, (b) were aged (i) 10 and under and (ii) between 11 and 18 on arrival, (c) assessed by a registered medical practitioner upon arrival in the UK and (e) in receipt of legal advice whilst being housed in a hotel.

Kevin Foster: The number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children being placed with a local authority between 14 July and 22 November 2021 who have been accommodated in hotels upon or after arriving in the UK is 890. Of these 2 were aged 10 or under and 888 were aged between 11 and 18 on arrival. This is based on local management information and subject to change. Nurses are on site at the hotels where the young people are assessed and they are also registered with a GP. Children making an asylum claim in their own right are eligible for assistance in the form of legal aid and the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) will fund a legal representative’s attendance at the substantive interview. There is no requirement for legal representation at first encounter when the welfare interview is conducted because children should not be asked questions about issues that relate to their asylum claim.

Refugees: Ukraine

Sarah Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to support people seeking safe refuge in the UK from countries surrounding Ukraine.

Kevin Foster: We have opened two new visa routes to assist those seeking safety in the UK: the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine Scheme. The latest guidance on these routes can be found at:www.gov.uk/guidance/support-for-family-members-of-british-nationals-in-ukraine-and-ukrainian-nationals-in-ukraine-and-the-uk.We have continued to adapt the visa process to ensure we keep pace with the rapidly shifting situation on the ground, whilst also maintaining vital security checks.Since 15 March, Ukrainians with valid passports have been able to get permission to come to the UK online from wherever they are, rather than going to a Visa Application Centre (VAC) before travelling to the UK.For those without passports, capacity at our VACs in neighbouring countries has been increased to 13,000 appointments per week. We have also opened temporary locations in temporary locations in Lviv, Rzeszow and Arras.We are working to process visas as quickly as possible. We have surged staff to our VACs across Europe meaning we are processing over 1,000 applications a day as a minimum, and UKVI staff are working seven days a week to process applications.

Visas: Ukraine

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's target processing time for the Ukraine Family Scheme visa will be.

Kevin Foster: We have surged staff to our visa application centres across Europe, and UKVI staff are working seven days a week to process applications as quickly as possible.

Refugees: Ukraine

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date she intends to open the Ukraine Family Scheme to applications from Ukrainian nationals currently in the UK.

Kevin Foster: The Ukraine Family Scheme (UFS) visa application form went live on 4th March with accompanying guidance published on GOV.UK: Apply for a Ukraine Family Scheme visa - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Animals in Science Regulation Unit

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Animals in Science Regulation Unit; and what assessment she has made of the compatibility of her Department’s change programme with the UK's animal welfare responsibilities.

Damian Hinds: The Animals in Science Regulation Unit has undertaken a change programme to benchmark itself against leading regulatory practice. The aim of the programme has been to improve its effectiveness.Under the Change Programme the Regulator has strengthened its regulatory oversight and published its process of full system audits at: www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-research-technical-advice#process-and-standards-for-establishment-full-system-audits.At audits the Regulator requires evidence for assessment of compliance against all legal licence conditions, including those for animal welfare, which is available at: www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-research-technical-advice#process-and-standards-for-establishment-full-system-audits.

Home Office: Sustainable Development

Rachel Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a senior manager in her Department has been given the portfolio for leading on departmental sustainability.

Kevin Foster: The Director of Strategy has been given the responsibility of leading on departmental sustainability.

Crime

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost of crime to the public purse in each region of England and Wales in each year since 2017.

Kit Malthouse: The Economic and Social Costs of Crime (published by the Home Office, July 2018) estimates the costs of crime against individuals and businesses in England and Wales, in the year ending 31st March 2016. The report estimates the total cost at £59 billion (2015/16 prices).The economic and social costs of crime (publishing.service.gov.uk)Following this publication, the Home Office has published multiple standalone reports costing the impact of different crime types, including Contact Child Sexual Abuse (published December 2021), Organised Crime (published February 2019), Domestic Abuse (published January 2019), and Modern Slavery (published July 2018).A regional breakdown of the costs are not available, however regional crime statistics can be found via the ONS (Crime in England and Wales: Crime in England and Wales: Police Force Area data tables - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)).References:Economic and Social Cost of Child Sexual Abuse:The economic and social cost of contact child sexual abuse - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Understanding Organised Crime:Understanding organised crime 2015/16 second edition (publishing.service.gov.uk)Economic and Social Costs of Domestic Abuse:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/918897/horr107.pdf

Refugees: Ukraine

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to co-operate with European countries to ensure that no refugee from the Ukrainian crisis is denied access to the UK.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take to speed up the transit of the Ukrainian people to the UK in the context of the humanitarian crisis in Poland and neighbouring countries along the Ukrainian border.

Kevin Foster: Immigration issues cannot be tackled by one country alone; it takes an international effort. The UK Government is therefore engaged in dialogue with a range of international partners to ensure solutions to migration issues are practical and in the best interest of the Ukrainian people. The Home Secretary is speaking regularly to her international counterparts, including in countries bordering Ukraine, to understand how the UK can work together with our partners.The Home Office has launched the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme to support Ukrainians who wish to come to the UK. We have also made the visa process quicker and simpler for Ukrainians to come here. Valid passport holders no longer have to attend in-person appointments to submit fingerprints or facial verification. This means Visa Application Centres across Europe can focus their efforts on helping Ukrainians without documentation. We have also surged capacity to countries neighbouring Ukraine including Poland, Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic and Moldova, including a new pop-up VAC in Rzeszow, Poland.The UK is committed to supporting the growing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and the forced displacement of people. The UK is providing £220 million of humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, which takes the UK total support to the Ukraine crisis to almost £400 million overall. We have also deployed UK humanitarian experts to support Ukraine’s neighbours, who are receiving and supporting refugees fleeing Ukraine, through providing logistics advice and analysis of needs on the ground.

Noise: Nuisance

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has plans to expand Police powers to allow noise nuisance to be more effectively tackled.

Kit Malthouse: The impact of noise is significant. It can result in children struggling to get a good night’s sleep and disrupt the hard work of businesses and public.The police already have a number of powers to tackle anti-social behaviour through the Anti-social behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. These powers are deliberately local in nature. It is for local authorities to work together to determine how best to respond to each individual case. Home Office statutory guidance supports them to do so.The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, contains measures which will improve the police's ability to deal with unjustifiably noisy protests that may result in serious disruption to the activities of an organisation or in a significant detrimental impact on members of the public.I am disappointed that the House of Lords did not back measures which are supported by the elected House and which would have helped to further reduce this disruption caused by a minority of protesters.

Refugees: Hotels

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many bridging hotels are being used for refugee resettlement.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many rooms in bridging hotels are unoccupied as of 10 March 2022.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will ensure that all future designated bridging accommodation is located in communities.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are currently in bridging accommodation.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to support people who are accommodated in bridging hotels.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of building homes for the resettlement of refugees.

Kevin Foster: There are currently over 12,000 in bridging accommodation. This cohort includes Afghan nationals who may be eligible for Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and British nationals.We are working at pace across government and with over three hundred Local Authority partners to secure longer term housing for Afghan evacuees so they can settle and rebuild their lives as soon as possible. We currently have Home Office Liaison Officers (HOLO’s) in place in bridging hotels. The role of the HOLO is to provide both face to face support and remote support when not physically present. They are reactive to the needs of those accommodated in hotels and can provide signposting to other government departments and Local Authorities and ensure safeguarding concerns are appropriately acted upon. We are also providing funding to local authorities to deliver support services in the hotel, including ensuring access education and health servicesWherever possible we have contracted bridging hotels in or near major conurbations to ensure access to services, yet we are reliant on them being available to us for use as we cannot compel hotel owners to work with us or to allow use of their property.

Proscribed Organisations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of the Online Safety Bill on terrorist content (a) linked and (b) not linked to the UK list of proscribed terrorist groups.

Damian Hinds: The effect of the Online Safety Bill on terrorist content has been considered as part of the published Impact Assessment.The Bill will require all in-scope companies to prevent terrorist content from being uploaded onto their sites, and when it is uploaded, to remove it immediately. The duty of care overseen by Ofcom will set a high standard that all in-scope platforms will need to meet, and therefore increase the amount of terrorist content that is identified and removed.Those who fail to do so, will need to answer to an independent regulator, Ofcom, who will have the power to require all in-scope companies to use automated technology to identify and remove terrorist content from their public channels.The Government has also pressed companies to increase the use of technology to automate the detection and removal of terrorist content where possible. As a result of continued engagement, companies have expanded the use of automated removals.

Visas: Ukraine

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) Ukraine Family Scheme visa applications have been (i) submitted, (ii) accepted and (iii) denied by her Department and (b) Local Sponsorship Scheme for Ukraine visa applications have been (i) submitted, (ii) accepted and (iii) denied by her Department.

Kevin Foster: Information on the number of applications issued under the Ukraine Family Scheme can be found in our published data on the GOV.UK webpage: Ukraine Family Scheme: application data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)The Homes for Ukraine scheme was launched by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 18 March. Applicant numbers are not currently included in statistics published by the Home Office.

Terrorism: Ukraine

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been stopped under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 on suspicion of traveling to fight in Ukraine since February 2022.

Damian Hinds: We do not routinely comment on matters of national security. Operational decisions on who to examine under Schedule 7 are taken independently by the police, and quarterly statistics on the use of Schedule 7 are available on the gov.uk website.

Visas: Poland

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many additional staff with relevant expertise and experience have been allocated to the UK's visa application centres in Poland since 20 February 2022.

Kevin Foster: We are committed to ensuring our operational teams have the resources they need to run an efficient and effective system, and we actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand, including from pressures relating to Ukraine.The Home Office and the commercial provider operating our Visa Application Centres have surged staff across Europe to meet demand, where we can offer over 13,000 appointments to visa applicants. UKVI staff in the UK are working seven days a week to process applications.

Visas: Eastern Europe

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff in her Department are assigned to visa application centres in (a) France, (b) Poland, (c) Hungary, (d) Moldova, (e) Romania and (f) other overseas centres as of 10 March 2022; and if she will provide a breakdown of the number of staff assigned to each of those countries.

Kevin Foster: We are committed to ensuring our operational teams have the resources they need to run an efficient and effective system, and we actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand, including from pressures relating to Ukraine.The Home Office and the commercial provider operating our Visa Application Centres have surged staff across Europe to meet demand, where we can offer over 13,000 appointments to visa applicants. We review demand in individual locations regularly and flex resources to meet it as needed.

Counter-terrorism: Libyan Islamic Fighting Group

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the 52 control orders issued under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 were related to the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group.

Damian Hinds: Of the 52 control orders issued under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005, six were related to the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group.

Companies: British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Exchange of Notes arrangements on sharing beneficial ownership information between the UK, Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, whether UK law enforcement have been provided with information from those jurisdictions on the owners of the 21,460 companies registered there that hold UK property assets.

Damian Hinds: Under the Exchange of Notes Arrangements, UK Law enforcement agencies are able to request beneficial ownership information for corporate and legal entities incorporated in the Crown Dependencies and six British Overseas Territories with financial centres. This includes companies that hold UK property assets.UK LEAs have reported that the Arrangements are adding value and supporting complex investigations into the financial affairs of individuals believed to be involved in serious and organised crime.

Home Office: Staff

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff from her Department were assigned to processing visa applications for entry into the UK from nationals from (a) Afghanistan and (b) Ukraine, as of 10 March 2022.

Kevin Foster: We are committed to ensuring our operational teams have the resources they need to run an efficient and effective system, and we actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand, including from pressures relating to the situations in Afghanistan and Ukraine.The Home Office, alongside the commercial provider operating our Visa Application Centres have surged staff across Europe to meet demand, so we can offer over 13,000 appointments to visa applicants. UKVI staff in the UK are working seven days a week to process applications, with personnel drawn from across its operations as needed.

Companies: British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Exchange of Notes arrangements on sharing beneficial ownership information between the UK, Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, how many requests UK law enforcement agencies have made for information on individual companies registered in those jurisdictions (a) in 2021 and (b) since 24 February 2022.

Damian Hinds: Under the Exchange of Notes Arrangements, UK Law enforcement agencies are able to request beneficial ownership information for corporate and legal entities incorporated in the Crown Dependencies and six British Overseas Territories with financial centres. This includes companies that hold UK property assets.UK LEAs have reported that the Arrangements are adding value and supporting complex investigations into the financial affairs of individuals believed to be involved in serious and organised crime.The performance of the Exchange of Notes arrangements are subject to annual reviews. The calendar year 2021 is in the process of being reviewed.

Migrants: Myanmar

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on security for the diaspora Burmese community in the UK of the continuous presence of the Myanmar military attaché in the UK.

Damian Hinds: As a matter or long-standing policy, the Government does not comment on the detail of security or intelligence matters.The Government takes potential risks to communities in the UK, including those from Myanmar, very seriously. I would encourage anyone who feels that they are under threat to contact the police in the first instance.

Visas: Ministers of Religion

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of (a) waiving application fees for Minister for Religion visas and (b) simplifying the process to obtain Minister for Religion visas for Ukrainian priests to travel to the UK.

Kevin Foster: Rather than creating measures specific to individual immigration routes, the Government has brought forward a bespoke humanitarian support package for the people of Ukraine, having listened carefully to the Ukrainian Government. The Government has introduced two new schemes: the Ukraine Family Scheme, and for those without family links to the UK, the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.Up-to-date guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/support-for-family-members-of-british-nationals-in-ukraine-and-ukrainian-nationals-in-ukraine-and-the-uk.There are no bespoke arrangements for Ukrainian priests who want to come to the UK on the T2 Minister of Religion visa route, but those who wish to do so may still apply in the usual way.

Visas: Ukraine

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to make provision within the Ukraine family visa scheme for a family group which includes a non-Ukrainian national.

Kevin Foster: Applicants to this scheme must be Ukrainian nationals unless they are applying as part of a family group where their immediate family member, who is a Ukrainian national, qualifies under this scheme.In this circumstance non-Ukrainian nationals will also qualify under the Ukraine Family Scheme.

Immigration

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of recent trends in the level of decision making costs for migration applications on migration application fees.

Kevin Foster: Fees and the estimated unit cost for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review. When setting visa, immigration and citizenship fees, the Home Office takes into account a number of factors set by Section 68(9) of the Immigration Act 2014. Full details of which can be found via the following link:http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/22/section/68The fees include the cost of processing the application, the wider cost of running the migration and borders system, international comparisons and the benefits that are likely to accrue from a successful application.Fees and the estimated unit costs for immigration and nationality applications are published on gov.uk and can be viewed through this link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-fees-transparency-data

Asylum: EU Countries

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress she has made in agreeing bilateral agreements with individual EU member states which would replace measures that existed under the Dublin III Regulation.

Tom Pursglove: The UK is in discussions regarding the returns of asylum seekers to European Member States; it would not be appropriate to provide a running commentary on these negotiations.We can confirm that work is underway to secure appropriate returns agreements with safe countries. Returns may also be agreed with partner countries on a case-by-case basis without formal agreements. This happened historically, outside of the former Dublin arrangements, and will continue to be part of the approach we apply.Our inadmissibility provisions in the Immigration Rules give us the legal basis to declare an asylum claim as inadmissible where a person has a connection to or has passed through, a safe country. The first returns on inadmissible grounds have been successfully carried out.

Visas: Ukraine

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to prioritise the return of passports to people who had previously made an application at the former visa application centre in Kyiv.

Kevin Foster: The Visa Application Centre in Kyiv temporarily closed following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and we are currently unable to return a customer their passport. The Home Office will be in contact with customers to discuss how and when their passport can be returned, but the presence of the Russian Military near Kyiv will inevitably affect our ability to do so.If a customer does not have their passport, UKVI staff are working with customers and Border Force to facilitate their entry to the UK where we are unable to attach a vignette in their passport.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Buildings: Construction

Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether proposals set out in the Government's amendments to the Building Safety Bill to introduce a warranty on new builds will be retroactive.

Stuart Andrew: The proposed amendments for new build warranties will apply prospectively to strengthen the future regime. The Bill provides a range of other tools to enable existing homeowners to seek redress from those who created building safety risks, such as the extended limitation period for action under the Defective Premises Act 1972 and our new remediation orders and building liability orders.

Building Regulations: Ventilation

Dehenna Davison: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the building regulations on trickle vents are consistent with making houses more efficient.

Stuart Andrew: In December 2021, Government published its response to the Future Buildings Standard consultation, including a suite of new regulations and standards to improve energy efficiency, ventilation and other matters covered by the Building Regulations When windows are replaced in existing dwellings, it is necessary to ensure that the ventilation provision in the dwelling is no worse than it was before the work was carried out. A common way of meeting this requirement will be to install trickle ventilators. Approved Document F: volume 1 sets out the detail of the new standard The purpose of ensuring ventilation provision is maintained is to protect the health and safety of people in the dwellings they occupy. The purpose of the new guidance is to make sure that any ventilation lost when replacing the window is replaced with purposeful ventilation. The standards do not require any more ventilation to be provided than is necessary. An assessment of energy demand due to replacement windows with ventilators can be found within the final stage Part F impact assessment As part of the standards published in December 2021, we also increased the thermal efficiency standard for various types of work to existing buildings, including when replacing windows New guidance and requirements for Part F and Part L of the Building Regulations are due to come into effect on 15 June 2022 Further information can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-buildings-standard

Housing: Construction

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recent report from the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation on car-dependency and new housing developments; and what steps he is taking to help ensure that new housing developments have easy access to public transport provision.

Stuart Andrew: The Government has taken, and is taking a number of steps to make sure that developments are easily accessible by public transport. We have set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that transport issues should be considered from the earliest stages of plan-making and development proposals, so that opportunities to promote walking, cycling and public transport use are identified and pursued. The NPPF is clear that significant development of new homes should be focused on locations which are or can be made sustainable, through limiting the need to travel and offering a genuine choice of transport modes.Last year, the Government published the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, which highlighted the principles of low carbon transport that should apply in spatial planning. We are also supporting the delivery of an update to Manual for Streets, the Government’s guidance on street design which ensures that when considering the design of streets in housing and other development, pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users should be at the top of the hierarchy.As we set out in the Net Zero Strategy, through our programme of changes to the planning system we intend to review the NPPF to make sure it contributes to climate change mitigation and adaptation as fully as possible. One of our Levelling Up missions is also that local public transport connectivity across the country will be significantly closer to the standards of London on service levels, fares and ticketing.

Agriculture: Land Use

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions he has with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the (a) recommendations on land use in the National Food Strategy and (b) allocation of land within the planning system for food growing and farming.

Stuart Andrew: My officials are working closely with Defra on land use, including for food production. The national food strategy for England is expected to be published after the pre-election period for the local elections given ongoing wider circumstances.In many parts of England, using land for food growing and agriculture will not specifically require planning permission. However, our National Planning Policy Framework is clear that where planning permission is required, the importance of food production and farming should be recognised to ensure that sustainable development is achieved.Specifically, the Framework requires local planning authorities to take into account all the benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land. Where significant development of agricultural land is shown to be necessary, the planning authority should seek to use poorer quality land in preference to that of a higher quality. The Framework is also clear that local authorities should encourage efficient use of land and acknowledges the importance of undeveloped land for food production.

Town Halls: Tower Hamlets

Gareth Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the impact of Tower Hamlets Council’s decision not to publish the costs of its town hall project; and what statutory powers he has to help ensure that public expenditure on public projects of £100 million and over are published.

Kemi Badenoch: Local authorities are autonomous public bodies responsible to their electorate for the decisions they take. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities is responsible for the oversight of local government and is interested in understanding issues around financial viability, leadership and standards of corporate governance, however, central government and ministers do not have a remit to intervene in the day-to-day affairs of a council, except in exceptional circumstances of most serious concern.Transparency is the foundation of local accountability. The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 introduced a localised audit regime for local authorities in England, which included mandatory transparency requirements for principal councils to improve local accountability together with the ability for local people to better hold their councils to account.Electors are entitled to inspect the accounts and other documents – including audit opinions and can ask questions of, and make objections to, the local authorities’ external auditor, who is required to respond. Details of this process can be found in the Local Authority Accounts: A guide to your rights, published by the National Audit Office: https://www.nao.org.uk/code-audit-practice/council-accounts-a-guide-to-your-rights/.

Temporary Accommodation: Children

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate he has made of the number of children living in temporary accommodation in (a) Stockport constituency, (b) the North West and (c) England.

Eddie Hughes: As part of the Homelessness Case Level Collection data (H-CLIC), local authorities are required to collect details of the number of children living in temporary accommodation, this data is published here https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Communication and Marketing

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2022 to Question 139483, how much his Department has spent on (a) communications, (b) advertising and (c) marketing in (i) December 2021, (ii) January 2022 and (iii) February 2022.

Mick Whitley: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much his Department has spent on advertising the Government's levelling up agenda in (a) the Liverpool City Region and (b) nationally.

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what expenditure his Department has incurred for advertising the What Does Levelling Up Mean to You consultation on (a) social media, (b) billboards, (c) newspaper adverts and (d) other advertising media in Glasgow.

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish (a) the total promotional budget and (b) details of how that budget is allocated by geographical area for the What Does Levelling Up Mean to You consultation.

Eddie Hughes: Spend on campaigns is published regularly on the Gov.uk website as part of the department’s transparency data made publicly available.

Temporary Accommodation: Refugees

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to expand the Homes for Ukraine scheme to refugees from other conflicts, such as in Afghanistan, so they are not required to stay in bridging accommodation.

Eddie Hughes: As set out in the FAQs on Homes for Ukraine, the UK has a long and proud history of welcoming migrants including recent arrivals from Syria, Afghanistan and Hong Kong. Every scheme is different and learns from the successes or challenges of those before. There has been a sponsorship route in operation for some years, and Homes for Ukraine is a developed version of that. We will look to see whether there are lessons we can apply from this scheme in future.Where members of the public also wish to help Afghans or other refugees, we would encourage them to do so through working with their local authority, or through the Community Sponsorship scheme.I refer the Hon Member to the following link: https://www.gov.uk/help-afghanistan/helping-people-to-settle-in-the-uk.

Refugees: Ukraine

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to support civil society organisations with the additional costs they incur as a result of providing support to refugees who have arrived in the UK via the Homes for Ukraine or Ukraine Family Scheme.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much funding local authorities will be given for each refugee that they agree to take.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will enable local authorities to be sponsoring bodies for refugees.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, whether there are any restrictions on what the £350 monthly provision for hosting a refugee is spent on; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of disbursing that funding directly to Ukrainian refugees to spend on their needs.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make and assessment of the potential merits of provide Ukraine refugees with (a) laptops or other forms of IT, (b) broadband and (c) a SIM card for a phone to facilitate (i) contact with other Ukrainians in the UK and Ukraine and (ii) educational support for Ukrainian child refugees.

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions he has had with local authorities on the merits of not removing single-person tax credit for housing refugees.

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2022 to Question 141196, on Homes for Ukraine Scheme: Vetting, what safeguarding checks will be undertaken on people providing accommodation under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, how long will it take for applicants to get an (a) DBS check and (b) enhanced DBS check.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the process by which Ukrainian refugees register their interest to be hosted in the UK.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, whether he will allow people travelling to the UK for the purposes of that scheme to meet with possible hosts prior to an allocation of a home to stay in.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will commit to hosting a briefing session available to all (a) charities, (b) faith organisations and (c) other organisations on matching UK host families with Ukrainian refugees.

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions he has had with representatives of insurance companies on housing insurance of people who house (a) Ukrainian and (b) other refugees.

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to help Ukrainian refugees under the Homes for Ukraine scheme (a) access bank accounts and (b) apply for national insurance numbers.

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how eligible individuals who do not hold a British passport can validate their application to become sponsors under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Eddie Hughes: Further to the oral statement by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up on 14 March, guidance for local authorities has been published on Gov.uk at www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils . There are also published FAQs available online at www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-scheme-frequently-asked-questions as well as information for sponsors at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-sponsor-guidance . Information is available on safeguarding checks at these links, as well as on eligibility for the scheme. Phase One of the Homes for Ukraine scheme opened for applications on 18 March and is accessible via links from homesforukraine.campaign.gov.uk . Those who had recorded their interest in the scheme were also contacted on that date. Details on future phases of the scheme will be announced in due course.

Northern Ireland Office

Fuel Oil: Northern Ireland

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate his Department has made of the number of households that on heating oil for central heating in Northern Ireland.

Conor Burns: According to the Consumer Council, 68 per cent of homes in Northern Ireland use heating oil as their primary source of heating. Policy on domestic energy is devolved in Northern Ireland.

Treasury

Public Sector: Pay

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is his policy that public sector workers will receive a pay increase in line with inflation.

Mr Simon Clarke: The Government recognises that public sector workers play a vital role in the running of our economy, and in delivering our world class public services. Spending Review 2021 confirmed that public sector workers will see pay rises across the whole Spending Review period (22/23-24/25). Pay for most frontline workforces - including nurses, teachers and armed forces - is set through an independent Pay Review Body (PRB) process. They will consider a range of evidence when forming their recommendations, including the need to recruit, retain and motivate suitably able and qualified people; the financial circumstances of government; the government’s policies for improving public services; and the government’s inflation target. They will consider the whole remuneration package of those working in the public sector when forming their recommendations, including substantially more generous pensions. The Government will carefully consider all recommendations from the Pay Review Bodies once their final reports are submitted.

Fraud

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money the FCA has spent on online advertising relating to fraud and scams, by company.

John Glen: This is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is operationally independent from Government. The question has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the Honourable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Ukraine: Debts

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to address the pre-existing debt of Ukraine.

John Glen: The Chancellor continues to engage with G7 partners and International Financial Institutions on progressing current and future support to Ukraine. Alongside our allies, we’ve hit Russia with the most severe package of sanctions it has ever seen. Our economic and humanitarian support to Ukraine also now totals around £400 million. This includes a £220 million package of aid, making the UK a leading bilateral humanitarian donor; a £100 million grant to support Ukraine’s energy and security reforms, primarily delivered through World Bank programmes; and a $100 million budgetary support grant, which contributed to a package agreed on 8 March of over $700 million for direct fiscal support to Ukraine via the World Bank, to help mitigate direct economic impacts. The UK also stands ready to provide up to $500 million in guarantees to support Multilateral Development Bank lending, which will enable them to significantly scale up their financial support offer to Ukraine.

Bank Services: Internet

Jim Shannon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with bank representatives to ensure that security is at the forefront of all online finance.

John Glen: The Chancellor and I both meet with financial services firms regularly to discuss topical issues, including the security and resilience of the sector. Responsibility for security and resilience primarily lies with firms themselves, but the government has a crucial role in supporting the sector. The government works closely with the financial regulators and the National Cyber Security Centre to ensure financial services have appropriate preventative measures in place, and are able to respond to disruption when it does occur.

Financial Services: Internet

Virginia Crosbie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to monitor the UK's electronic money institutions that are red flagged for money laundering risk; and what enforcement measures are being brought against those institutions through regulators and law enforcement agencies.

John Glen: The government is taking a robust and proactive approach to reducing illicit finance risks in the electronic money (e-money) sector. E-money institutions are subject to regulation and supervision by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 and The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017. In December 2020, the government published the UK’s third National Risk Assessment (NRA) of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, which found that e-money services are at medium risk of money laundering. The NRA also noted the appeal of UK e-money institutions to money launderers looking to move illicit funds in and out of Russia and Eastern Europe. Further UK law enforcement and the Financial Conduct Authority assessments of the money laundering risks in the e-money sector have observed that while vulnerabilities remain, -money institutions generally have well-developed live transaction monitoring and document verification processes. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is already taking steps to ensure firms operating in the sector have robust anti-financial crime controls, and has a number of powers at its disposal – including to request information, inspect a firm’s premises and, where necessary, to withdraw a firm’s registration – that can be used to ensure firms’ systems and controls are effective.

Car Allowances

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the rates of tax relief on vehicle mileage for work vehicles.

Helen Whately: The Government sets the Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAPs) rates to minimise administrative burdens. AMAP rates aim to reflect running costs including fuel, servicing and depreciation. Depreciation is estimated to constitute the most significant proportion of the AMAP rate. Employers are not required to use the AMAPs rates. Instead, they can agree to reimburse the actual cost incurred, where individuals can provide evidence of the expenditure, without an Income Tax or National Insurance charge arising. Alternatively, they can choose to pay a different mileage rate that better reflects their employees’ circumstances. However, if the payment exceeds the amount due under AMAPs, and this results in a profit for the individual, they will be liable to pay Income Tax and National Insurance contributions on the difference. The Government keeps this policy under review.

Car Allowances: Care Workers

Alicia Kearns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department is making on the potential merits of adjusting Care Workers Mileage Tax Rebates in light of increasing petrol prices.

Helen Whately: The Government sets the Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAPs) rates to minimise administrative burdens. AMAP rates aim to reflect running costs including fuel, servicing and depreciation. Depreciation is estimated to constitute the most significant proportion of the AMAP rate. Employers are not required to use the AMAPs rates. Instead, they can agree to reimburse the actual cost incurred, where individuals can provide evidence of the expenditure, without an Income Tax or National Insurance charge arising. Alternatively, they can choose to pay a different mileage rate that better reflects their care workers’ circumstances. However, if the payment exceeds the amount due under AMAPs, and this results in a profit for the individual, they will be liable to pay Income Tax and National Insurance contributions on the difference. The Government keeps this policy under review.

Energy Bills Rebate

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2022 to Question 139753, whether the £200 rebate will be made available to those with a domestic electricity meter, even where that meter is administered by (a) a landlord or (b) another entity not registered by Ofgem as an electricity licensee or supplier.

Helen Whately: All households with a domestic electricity meter will receive the £200 Energy Bill Support Scheme reduction regardless of their type of payment method. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will consult on how best to deliver this policy through a consultation with consumer groups and industry in the Spring.

Energy Bills Rebate

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2022 to Question 139574 on Energy Bills Rebate, whether he plans to collect repayments over five years from a greater number of households with an electricity supply than there were when the energy bills rebate was introduced.

Helen Whately: The Government will recoup the costs of the Energy Bill Reduction Scheme in full from domestic energy bills over five years from 2022-23. The Government will look at these issues further through a public consultation run by the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in the spring.

Treasury: Darlington

Rachel Hopkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2022 to Question 142001, on Treasury: Civil Servants, if he will publish the number of civil servants based at the Darlington Economic Campus as of 17 March 2022.

Helen Whately: We are making significant progress establishing the Darlington Economic Campus and our workforce based there. We have committed to moving over 1,100 roles to the campus by 2025 from across all eight Departments and agencies based in the campus.

Members: Correspondence

Dan Carden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to reply to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton and hon. Member for Bury South of 24 February 2022.

Helen Whately: A response was sent to the Member on 24 March 2022.

Minimum Wage

Mr Richard Holden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the take home pay was of a worker who was working 40 hours a week on the minimum wage in 2009-10 aged (a) 18, (b) 23 and (c) 30; and how much those sums will be in 2021-22 in (a) cash terms and (b) real terms including in terms of (i) gross wage and (ii) total deductions.

Lucy Frazer: To help tackle low pay in the UK, in 2016 the Government introduced the National Living Wage (NLW). The Government has an ambitious target for the NLW to reach 2⁄3 median earnings and to be extended to those 21 and over by 2024, provided economic conditions allow. Consistent with that target, on 1 April 2022, the Government will increase the NLW by 6.6 per cent to £9.50 an hour for workers aged 23 and over, whilst young people and apprentices will also see their wages boosted as National Minimum Wage rates will also be increased. The information requested can be found in the table below: 2009-102021-22 Minimum Wage (£/hr)Annual gross earnings (cash terms)Annual net earnings (cash terms)Minimum Wage (£/hr)Annual gross earnings (cash terms)Annual net earnings (cash terms)Annual gross earnings in 2009 pricesAnnual net earnings in 2009 prices18-year-old£4.83£10,046£8,856£6.56£13,645£12,941£10,474£9,93323-year-old£5.80£12,064£10,248£8.91£18,533£16,264£14,226£12,48530-year-old£5.80£12,064£10,248£8.91£18,533£16,264£14,226£12,485Notes: Figures have been rounded to the nearest £1.Net earnings are net of Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions. This analysis does not take into account benefit calculations, given it is heavily dependent on personal circumstances.The October 2009 National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates have been used in the 2009-10 calculations, as that is when NMW upratings used to occur. Since 2016 National Minimum and National Living Wages have been uprated every April.In 2021-22 those aged 23 and over were eligible for the NLW.To calculate 2009 prices, the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) annual Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) index for October 2009 and October 2021 were used, (source ONS CPI Index 00: all items 2015=100).

Revenue and Customs: Vacancies

Chris Stephens: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many posts were vacant in HMRC's National Minimum Wage Compliance Unit as of 22 March 2022; and he if will make a statement.

Lucy Frazer: HMRC enforces the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage in line with the law and policy set out by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The Government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the NMW receives it. Based on the most recent available data, as of 22 March 2022, the HMRC National Minimum Wage Compliance Unit has 18 vacancies. In addition, staff across HMRC, other than those working directly in the Compliance Unit, also contribute to enforcing the NMW, including lawyers, technical advisers, and those specialising in criminal investigations.

Income Support

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce a minimum income guarantee for all people in receipt of state benefits and ensure that it is linked to inflation.

Mr Simon Clarke: The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living. These are global challenges, but the Government is providing support to families worth over £22 billion in 2022-23 to help with these pressures. This includes cutting the Universal Credit taper rate and increasing work allowances to make sure work pays, freezing alcohol duties to keep costs down, and providing millions of households with up to £350 to help with rising energy bills. At the Spring Statement, the Chancellor went further, announcing an increase to the annual National Insurance Primary Threshold and Lower Profits Limit to £12,570, a cut to fuel duty, and an additional £500m to help the most vulnerable with the cost of essentials through the Household Support Fund. And, on 1st April 2022, in line with the Government’s target, we are increasing the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour for workers aged 23 and over. The Government continues to support a tax and benefit system that ensures it always pays to work, with the benefit system acting as a safety net for those families that need extra help. A flat rate income guarantee would not take into account the additional needs and costs faced by some individuals and therefore would not target taxpayer support where it is most needed.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Tourist Attractions

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help improve access to cultural attractions across the country.

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to increase access to the arts across England.

Nigel Huddleston: The Government is committed to the development of an arts and cultural sector that is representative of modern society and in which there are no barriers to participation. The Secretary of State has named increasing access to arts and culture across the whole country as one of her top priorities for the department.In February, DCMS instructed Arts Council England (ACE) to enable a £75 million boost to culture and creativity outside of London between 2022 and 2025. As part of this funding, DCMS and ACE have identified 109 Levelling Up for Culture Places where additional investment will be focused. This support will galvanise the potential of the people in these areas that have previously not had sufficient attention and investment. The aim is to generate more opportunities for people across the whole country, and provide better access to cultural activities.As outlined in Arts Council England’s Let’s Create strategy, all UK Arts Councils alongside the British Film Institute are currently working on a UK wide access scheme for disabled, d/Deaf, neurodivergent people or those that have other access needs. We want this scheme to work alongside existing infrastructure to find a way of best serving audiences and the sector. As part of the very early stages of this process, Arts Council England are inviting people who have access needs when attending arts events to take part in focus groups.

Tourism

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans her Department has to help increase domestic tourism.

Nigel Huddleston: Our Tourism Recovery Plan (TRP) sets out an ambition to recover domestic tourism to pre pandemic levels of 99m overnight trips and spend of £19 billion by the end of 2022. We have been committed to supporting the sector to remain resilient through the pandemic and have provided over £37 billion to the tourism, leisure and hospitality sectors in the form of grants, loans and tax breaks.The Tourism Recovery Plan also announced plans for a new rail pass which, which we hope to launch this year, to help make it easier and more sustainable for domestic tourists to get around Scotland, England, and Wales.VisitEngland launched the next phase of its domestic marketing campaign, Escape the Everyday, in February. The campaign will focus on cities as they are impacted by lower numbers of international visitors and it will target a ‘pre-nester’ audience (18-34 year olds), encouraging them to book a short city-break.2022 also promises a host of unmissable events, including Her Majesty’s Jubilee, with a programme of events over the extended Jubilee Bank holiday; Unboxed, which aims to engage millions of people through in person and digital events; as well as the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, which will drive domestic and international visitors to the region.English Tourism Week from 18th-27th March 2022 is a great opportunity to showcase the best of what the English tourism industry has to offer. I have been visiting some of England’s fantastic tourist destinations and attractions during the week. The government is committed to the sector’s recovery post-pandemic and English Tourism Week is an opportunity to celebrate the resilience of the sector and demonstrating our world-class offer.

Tourism

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate her Department has made of the length of time it will take for the inbound tourism market to return to pre-covid-19 pandemic levels.

Nigel Huddleston: The Tourism Recovery Plan (TRP), published in June 2021, sets out the role of the UK government in assisting and accelerating the tourism sector’s recovery from COVID-19. The TRP sets out ambitious and stretching targets to recover inbound visitor numbers and spend to 2019 levels by the end of 2023 and recover domestic overnight trip volume and spend by the end of 2022 - at least a year faster than independent forecasts predict.

Tourist Attractions: North East

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the tourism industry throughout the North East.

Nigel Huddleston: In January this year I chaired the first Inter-Ministerial Group on the Visitor Economy, where we discussed how the visitor economy could support the levelling up agenda. We are now running a ‘Policy Sprint’ to look at how we can turn that into reality by maximising opportunities for the North East of England. The overall aim is to deliver genuine impact in the region and beyond, and provide long term growth by realising the potential of the Visitor Economy to level up the North East.VisitEngland’s current domestic campaign ‘Escape the Everyday’ features Newcastle and York as two of the highlighted cities. The ‘Escape the Everyday’ campaign encourages the “pre-nester”(18-34 year old) audience to book an English city break this spring.We also launched the second round of the Escape the Everyday Destination Management Organisation (DMO) Recovery Marketing Fund in February, providing the opportunity for DMOs across England to apply for grant funding to deliver local marketing activities.VisitBritain’s business events team work closely with NewcastleGateshead Initiative and has provided recent support to them in the form of free participation at MeetGB, free promotion on a virtual platform to promote the region to international association organisers, attendance at VB’s City Sustainability roundtable and providing them access to apply to the Business Events Growth Programme for International events.VisitBritain’s business support team has engaged with the North East during a variety of events and programmes including the ‘Taking England to the World Education Programme’, a ‘Business Support Roadshow’ and the North East Tourism Awards, which were run by NewcastleGateshead Initiative.VisitBritain has also hosted international travel trade buyers on educational visits across Britain, including four buyers from the Nordics Group who visited Newcastle and Northumberland. A variety of suppliers from the North East attended ExploreGB Virtual, including: Durham Cathedral, Hadrian's Wall Holidays, the Sandman Hotel Group and Alnwick Castle and Gardens.

Museums and Galleries and Public Libraries: Government Assistance

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps her Department has taken to support local libraries and regional museums.

Nigel Huddleston: On 12 March the Arts Minister announced the public libraries, museums, galleries and cultural venues across the country that will benefit from £48 million of funding - part of the Cultural Investment Fund - to improve people’s access to the arts, safeguard cultural assets for future generations, and power economic growth through culture.This includes:investing £5 million in 25 library services through the Libraries Improvement Fund (LIF) to upgrade their buildings and technology, to enable them to be resilient and equipped to meet the changing needs of local communities; and£18.8 million through the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND) to help fund museum and local authority infrastructure projects and urgent maintenance works.Through the Cultural Investment Fund we will invest up to a further £128.4 million of capital investment in innovative cultural and creative projects, libraries, and museums across the country over the Spending Review period (22/23 - 24/25), predominantly outside London. Earlier this month, we announced £48 million of investment through the Cultural Investment Fund, of which nearly £10 million was made for the North East, backing five projects.DCMS also supports regional museums through a variety of core and project funding through Arts Council England and other Arms Length Bodies, tax relief opportunities, and other direct support such as the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, the latest round of which was launched on 17 March this year.

Rugby Football League: Finance

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding her Department has provided to the Rugby Football League since 2017; and on what projects that funding has been spent.

Nigel Huddleston: I am looking forward to welcoming teams from across the world to the Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup which will take place in October and November. As part of this, the government has provided £10 million worth of funding to the CreatedBy legacy programme to support the development of large and small scale projects.The Rugby Football League has received support from the government’s £600 million Sport Survival Package which ensured the survival of sports organisations throughout the pandemic. The Rugby Football League received £16.7 million loan support and £1.95 million grant support from the package, totalling £18.6 million of combined funding. This funding has safeguarded the immediate future of the sport for the communities it serves.Furthermore, rugby league clubs will have benefitted from the £220m of National Lottery and Exchequer funding committed by Sport England since March 2020 to support community sport clubs and exercise centres through this pandemic.

Football: Ownership

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to enable football clubs to determine if they want to have a full or partial fan ownership model.

Nigel Huddleston: The Fan Led Review of Football Governance highlighted the importance of proper fan engagement in key decisions and recommended giving fans tools to protect key club heritage items such as club badge or name.The government is working at pace to consider the recommendations of the Fan Led Review, including detailed consideration of the recommendations on improving fan engagement as well as those made on enhancing the existing owners’ and directors’ test.The DCMS Secretary of State committed to Parliament on 3 March to bring forward our government response as soon as possible. This response will be issued in the coming weeks.

BBC World Service: Finance

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the budget of the BBC World Service as part of the UK's efforts to counter Russian disinformation in African states.

Julia Lopez: The government strongly values the work of the BBC World Service and its independent and impartial broadcasting. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine means that BBC World Service channels are playing an increasingly valuable role in challenging disinformation emanating from the Kremlin.The Secretary of State has made it clear to the BBC in her letter confirming the final licence fee settlement that it should continue to make a substantive investment from the licence fee into the World Service to ensure that it continues to effectively reflect the United Kingdom, its culture and values to the world - in English and through its language services.As set out in the Framework Agreement the BBC should continue to agree objectives, priorities and targets for the World Service with the Foreign Secretary, as well as the languages in which the World Service is to be provided, and any changes to these matters. The World Service’s Spending Review settlement for the period 2022 to 2025 from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will be confirmed shortly.In addition on 24th March the government announced an additional £4.1m of funding for the BBC World Service, to support its Ukrainian and Russian language services. We are not considering providing any further additional funding at this time.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Public Appointments

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department makes an assessment of prospective trustee candidates' views on (a) climate change and (b) climate governance prior to their appointment.

Julia Lopez: Candidates are not routinely assessed on climate change and climate governance prior to their appointment.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Pneumoconiosis: Compensation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many cases have been assessed for compensation under the Coal Industry Pneumoconiosis Compensation Scheme since 1985.

Greg Hands: Nabarro Claims Solutions (NCS) took over administration of the Coal Industry Pneumoconiosis Compensation Scheme in May 2011. Since then, 1,826 claims have been received and assessed. A verifiable breakdown of claims prior to May 2011 is not available.

Pneumoconiosis: Compensation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many cases have been awarded compensation using only a death certificate under the Coal Industry Pneumoconiosis Compensation Scheme since 1985.

Greg Hands: Nabarro Claims Solutions (NCS) took over administration of the Coal Industry Pneumoconiosis Compensation Scheme (CIPCS) in May 2011. Since then, 124 claims, which met the employment criteria of employment with British Coal, have been settled on reliance of the content of a Death Certificate instead of certification in respect of Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit for PD D1 (Pneumoconiosis) or another disease that is compensable under the CIPCS. A verifiable breakdown of claims prior to May 2011 is not available.

Electricity Generation

Craig Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the UK electricity demand in 2050; what forecast his Department has made of the composition of the energy source supplying that demand.

Greg Hands: Annex O of the Government’s Energy and Emission Projections provides four indicative 2050 scenarios for the power sector: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/energy-and-emissions-projections. These have two levels of demand (higher and lower) and show capacity mixes that could meet this demand, while ensuring emissions fall in line with legislated ambition and costs to consumers are minimised.

Energy: Standing Charges

Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the daily standing charge in energy usage, in the context of significant rises in consumption charges.

Greg Hands: The standing charge includes charges from network companies for using pipes and cables to carry gas and electricity supplies, the maintenance and installation of meters and billing and accounting. A small proportion also goes towards Government initiatives to help vulnerable households and reduce emissions. Without the standing charge, these costs would be added to the unit price of energy. Otherwise, suppliers would not be able to recover the legitimate costs of serving customers. For millions of households, the level of the standing charge is protected by the energy price cap rate set by Ofgem.

UK Emissions Trading Scheme: Public Consultation

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will delay the compliance deadline for the 2021 UK ETS scheme, to allow the consultation on free allowances time to conclude.

Greg Hands: UK Emissions Trading Scheme legislation establishes the legal requirement that the annual deadline for surrendering allowances is 30 April. This deadline is not discretionary and will not be delayed. This clarity regarding the timelines of the compliance cycle enables operators to plan ahead with confidence and ensure that they are able to meet their compliance obligations. Through both free allocation and auctions, a total of 194 million allowances will have been released before the compliance deadline on 30 April, meaning that the UK ETS is well supplied to meet compliance demand.

UK Emissions Trading Scheme

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking with the Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency to ensure the UK Emissions Trading System supports the UK’s energy resilience.

Greg Hands: On 25 March 2022, a UK ETS consultation was launched, fulfilling the Government’s commitment to align the scheme with the UK’s net zero ambitions and consulting on options to introduce the necessary changes to the scheme. In doing so, businesses will be given the confidence to invest in the transition to cheap, clean homegrown energy, which is significantly reducing reliance on fossil fuels and exposure to volatile oil and gas prices on global markets.

UK Emissions Trading Scheme: Public Consultation

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the consultation on the UK Emissions Trading Scheme free allowances will take place.

Greg Hands: The consultation “Developing the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS)”, which includes sections relating to free allowances, was published on 25 March 2022 and will run until 17 June.

Housing: Heating

Dehenna Davison: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of the level of risk posed to households reliant on heat pumps during power outages.

Greg Hands: In the event of a power outage a heat pump, like a gas or oil boiler, will not work if a home does not have a back-up power supply. The UK has one of the most resilient electricity networks in the world, so the risk of power outages is small. The Government will continue to build resilience into the system as it evolves and dependence on electricity increases.

UK Emissions Trading Scheme

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Emissions Trading System free allowances do not adversely impact decarbonisation projects.

Greg Hands: The Government is committed to protecting industry from carbon leakage as the UK economy decarbonises. A proportion of allowances under the UK ETS, worth several billion pounds a year at current prices, are consequently allocated for free to businesses at risk of carbon leakage. The Government is currently conducting a review into free allocation policy. These proposals were included in the “Developing the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS)” consultation, published on 25 March 2022, which will run until 17 June 2022.

Members: Correspondence

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he will respond to correspondence from the hon Member for Rhondda to the Green Deal team on 16 September 2021 and subsequent correspondence to his Department on 1 November 2021, 22 November 2021, 17 December 2021, 21 January 2022 and 25 February 2022.

Greg Hands: The Department has no record of such correspondence regarding the Green Deal. The Hon. Member is invited to re-send the correspondence to the Department or direct to the Green Deal team at: gdconsumers@beis.gov.uk.

Shared Services Connected and UK Shared Business Services

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has plans to transfer shared service matrix cluster (a) staff and (b) work out of (i) UK Shared Business Services and (ii) Shared Services Connected Ltd to a new provider.

George Freeman: The Matrix shared services cluster will create a single shared service centre with a single technology and a single service provider, in line with the Government Shared Services Strategy. Current plans are that the Matrix shared services cluster will be formed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for International Trade, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Cabinet Office in a first wave of rapid adopters, followed by the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Attorney General’s Office, and HM Treasury. A programme team has been put in place to develop a business case and secure a budget for the implementation of the shared service centre for the cluster. Until a budget is secured, and a business case approved, any figures or options are only tentative and subject to finalising the scope and approach for the programme. Current options being considered include in-sourcing, UK Shared Business Services as provider and using a new provider. The business case will explore the merits of the options in line with standard Government practice, so all options remain a possibility, including those listed above.

UK Shared Business Services

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of in-sourcing shared services within the shared service matrix cluster.

George Freeman: The Matrix shared services cluster will create a single shared service centre with a single technology and a single service provider, in line with the Government Shared Services Strategy. Current plans are that the Matrix shared services cluster will be formed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for International Trade, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Cabinet Office in a first wave of rapid adopters, followed by the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Attorney General’s Office, and HM Treasury. A programme team has been put in place to develop a business case and secure a budget for the implementation of the shared service centre for the cluster. Until a budget is secured, and a business case approved, any figures or options are only tentative and subject to finalising the scope and approach for the programme. Following recent engagement with Trade Unions, we are working with them to discuss the merits of in-sourcing as an option, in line with standard Government practice.

UK Shared Business Services

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the options available for the future of shared services within the shared service matrix cluster; and whether those proposals are being developed in accordance with the Cabinet Office Sourcing Playbook.

George Freeman: The Matrix shared service cluster will create a single shared service centre with a single technology and a single service provider, in line with the Government Shared Services Strategy. Current plans are that the Matrix shared services cluster will be formed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for International Trade, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Cabinet Office in a first wave of rapid adopters, followed by the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Attorney General’s Office. and HM Treasury. A programme team has been put in place to develop a business case and secure a budget for the implementation of the shared service centre for the cluster. Until a budget is secured and a business case approved, any figures or options are only tentative and subject to finalising the scope and approach for the programme. Current options being considered include in-sourcing, UK Shared Business Services as provider or using a new provider. The preferred option will be determined by its merit in line with standard Government practice, including Cabinet Office Sourcing Playbook when relevant.

UK Shared Business Services: Government Departments

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which Departments within the shared service matrix cluster does Shared Services Connected Ltd provide shared services for.

George Freeman: Shared Services Connect Ltd provides services for one department within the Matrix cluster, which is the Cabinet Office.

UK Shared Business Services: Government Departments

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which Departments within the shared service matrix cluster does UK Shared Business Services provide shared services for.

George Freeman: UK Shared Business Services provides services for two departments which are in the Matrix cluster: the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for International Trade (DIT).

Help to Grow Scheme

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many businesses have signed up to the Government's (a) Help to Grow Management and (b) Help to Grow Digital Schemes as of 23 March 2022.

Paul Scully: We intend to publish data on take up and completion of the Help to Grow Programmes later this year on the GOV.UK website, and thereafter on a regular basis.

UK Shared Business Services

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which Departments within the Shared Service Matrix Cluster have in-house shared services; and from which offices those shared services are conducted.

George Freeman: Matrix shared services cluster is formed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Department for International Trade (DIT), Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Cabinet Office (CO) in a first wave of rapid adopters, followed by Department for Education (DfE), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and Her Majesty’s Treasury (HMT). The following Departments have Department-defined in-house shared services: Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: The DCMS definition of shared services is provided by a combination of Outsource and Insource provision. HR transactional services (excluding payroll) are provided in-house across a geographically dispersed team, with people located inEdinburghLondonManchesterNewcastle Department for Education: The DfE definition of shared services is services provided by core DfE to other entities. DfE provides services to the core Department and a number of its ALBs. DfE staff are based in the offices below and the teams that operate our shared service provision are split site, with teams spanning multiple offices.BristolExeterCoventryCroydonDarlingtonLeedsLondonManchesterNewcastleNottinghamSheffieldWatford Department of Health and Social Care: The DHSC definition of shared services is provided by core DHSC. DHSC staff are geographically dispersed, with people located in:- London- Leeds. HM Treasury: The HMT definition of shared services is provided by Treasury Group Shared Service centre to HM Treasury and its ALBs. Staff are geographically dispersed, with people located in:- Norwich- London.

Science: Research

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his his Department has taken to support scientific research consortia as a future funding model for domestic R&D.

George Freeman: Support for research consortia is a well-established aspect of the UK Government’s approach to funding R&D. Between 2015 – 2021, UK Research and Innovation provided over 16,500 research and innovation grants, over 65% of which were collaborative awards.[1] [2] SR21 sets out the government’s plan to cement the UK as a global science and technology superpower, with public spending on R&D rising to £20bn in 2024/25, an increase of around a quarter in real terms over the SR period. As the custodian of the R&D system, BEIS has been allocated £39.8bn for R&D over the SR period, the largest ever budget committed to BEIS for R&D. This investment will continue to support both individual researchers and groups of researchers working in consortia to solve the biggest challenges facing society. It will also encourage private sector investments and give the market players the confidence that they are backing national priorities – so that the public and private sector can come together to deliver breakthroughs, like the Covid-19 vaccine, that can transform our lives and economic prospects. [1] https://www.ukri.org/publications/competitive-funding-decisions-data-2015-to-2020/  [2] https://www.ukri.org/publications/competitive-funding-decisions-data-2020-to-2021

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Chechnya and Russia: Sanctions

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing broad sanctions against Russian and Chechen service personnel and Commanders involved in the siege of Mariupol.

James Cleverly: We have now sanctioned over 1200 individuals and entities since Putin's invasion of Ukraine. We are focusing our efforts on those measures which will have the biggest impact. The UK has targeted Russia's political elite, introduced powers to cut off the Russian banking sector from the UK, and introduced restrictive trade measures. We have acted against the people and entities who facilitate the war in Ukraine and the harmful activities of the Russian Government. We will not comment on future sanctions but, as our recent announcements have shown, nothing and no one is off the table.

Russia: Shipping

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will introduce economic sanctions on Russian shipping.

James Cleverly: UK Government ministers have signed legislation banning all ships that are Russian owned, operated, controlled, chartered, registered or flagged from entering British ports since 1 March 2022. These measures also include powers to detain Russian vessels already in port and to direct them out of British ports, as well as ensuring that anyone sanctioned by the UK can no longer register a vessel - and will have any existing registrations terminated - in the UK.

Hong Kong: Religious Freedom

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of freedom of religious beliefs in Hong Kong.

Amanda Milling: The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. Promoting the right to FoRB is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities.The Sino-British Joint Declaration is a legally binding treaty between the UK and China, and under this China committed to uphold Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy and protect the rights and freedoms of its people. This explicitly includes freedom of expression and FoRB. It is imperative that all the rights and freedoms promised to the people of Hong Kong in the Joint Declaration are fully respected.

China: Religious Freedom

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the accusations against Cardinal Joseph Zen and other religious leaders published in the pro-Beijing newspaper Tai Kung Pao.

Amanda Milling: We remain deeply concerned about the persecution of Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners and others on the grounds of their religion or belief in China, including reports that authorities are tightening control over how certain religions are practiced. The freedom to practise, change or share one's faith or belief without discrimination or violent opposition is a human right that all people should enjoy. We believe that societies that aim to guarantee freedom of religion or belief are more stable, prosperous and more resilient against violent extremism.

Hong Kong: Falun Gong

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the criticisms and accusations against Falun Gong and a call to eradicate the group, published in the pro-Beijing media in Hong Kong.

Amanda Milling: We remain deeply concerned about the persecution of Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners and others on the grounds of their religion or belief in China, including reports that authorities are tightening control over how certain religions are practiced. The freedom to practise, change or share one's faith or belief without discrimination or violent opposition is a human right that all people should enjoy. We believe that societies that aim to guarantee freedom of religion or belief are more stable, prosperous and more resilient against violent extremism.

CDC: DP World

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that CDC Group’s partnership with DP World leads to the creation and protection of good quality jobs in Africa following the recent dismissal of 800 workers at DP World-owned P&O Ferries.

Amanda Milling: CDC Group partnered with DP World to modernise and expand ports and logistics across Africa starting with three ports in Dakar, Sokhna and Berbera. Trade enabled through the three initial ports will improve access to vital goods for 35 million people and support 5 million jobs (138,000 created). By 2035, an estimated $51 billion in additional trade is forecast to pass through the ports, equivalent to 3 per cent of Senegal's GDP, 3 per cent of Egypt's GDP and 6 per cent of Somaliland's GDP.CDC invests in accordance with its Policy on Responsible Investing which is aligned to international best practice and sets out the approach to environment, social and governance (ESG) matters. The Policy on Responsible Investing includes a focus on job quality, including the rights of workers and employees. All investments - including CDC's investment partnership with DP World in Africa - are subject to these standards.

Myanmar: Rohingya

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make it her policy to declare the UK’s intention to join the Rohingya genocide case at the International Court of Justice.

Amanda Milling: We welcome the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) consideration of the ongoing case brought by The Gambia against Myanmar for its alleged breach of the Genocide Convention. We are supporting the ICJ process which is putting pressure on Myanmar to protect the Rohingya. We provided the funding to enable Rohingya refugees to attend the hearings in December 2019. We are monitoring developments closely. We will keep under review the question of a UK intervention once the Court has ruled on whether the case can proceed.The Rohingya crisis remains a UK priority. We continue to support the humanitarian responses on both sides of the border. In Rakhine State the UK has provided over £81 million to all communities since 2017, including over £25 million for the Rohingya and other Muslim minorities for support such as nutrition and health.

CDC: Newglobe Schools

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether CDC Group has plans to divest from New Globe Schools, formerly Bridge International Academies.

Amanda Milling: CDC does not disclose investment plans for individual investments as this is commercially sensitive.

Israel: Palestinians

Mr David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, published on 21 March 2022, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the conclusion that Israel has imposed upon Palestine an apartheid reality in a post-apartheid world.

Amanda Milling: We do not agree with the use of this terminology. Any judgment on whether serious crimes under international law have occurred is a matter for judicial decision, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. As a friend of Israel, we have a regular dialogue on human rights. This includes encouraging the Government of Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and do all it can to uphold the values of equality for all.

Lebanon: Humanitarian Aid

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the (a) political and (b) humanitarian situation in Lebanon.

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the stability of the economy in Lebanon.

Amanda Milling: Lebanon is facing a severe economic crisis. Its people are suffering from the failure of Lebanon's political elites to deliver much-needed and long-promised reforms, exacerbated by the public health crisis caused by COVID-19 and the aftermath of the Beirut port explosion in August 2020. The humanitarian situation is worsening. To help set Lebanon on the right path, the authorities must ensure the parliamentary elections scheduled for 15 May take place on time and are free and fair. Since 2011, the UK has allocated over £787 million in humanitarian and development funding to Lebanon to support Syrian refugees and other vulnerable people. The UK and members of the International Support Group for Lebanon stand with the people of Lebanon in their time of need, but we are clear that Lebanon's leaders must implement a credible reform process as the only sustainable way to address the crisis.

Morad Tahbaz

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is she taking to help ensure that Morad Tahbaz is immediately released from detention in Iran.

James Cleverly: The Iranian authorities committed to allowing Morad to return home to his wife in Tehran on furlough, and we expect them to fulfil that commitment. We continue to lobby Iran and work with the US to secure Morad's permanent release and departure from Iran. He must be allowed to return to his family's home in Tehran immediately. We remain in close contact with Morad's family.

British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies: Foreign Companies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of steps taken by the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories to proactively assist the Government in the production of comprehensive designations of companies connected to sanctioned entities.

Amanda Milling: The UK Government is proud of the principled stand that the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, as part of the UK family, have taken in relation to sanctioned entities. The Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories are committed to the highest standards in financial services and are working to implement international standards, such as those set by the Financial Action Taskforce to counter money laundering. All have committed to establishing publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership. The Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories continue to share valuable company ownerships and tax information with UK law authorities, under the invaluable Exchange of Notes process. It was information shared by an Overseas Territory, which enabled the UK's first Unexplained Wealth Order.

Iran: British Nationals Abroad

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will seek guarantees from the Government of Iran to ensure that British Nationals or dual nationals are not arbitrary detained or imprisoned in that country.

James Cleverly: The UK does not, and never will, accept our nationals being used as diplomatic leverage. It remains - and has always been - within Iran's gift to release any British national who has been unfairly detained. We will continue to work with likeminded partners to put an end to the Iranian practice of detaining foreign nationals to pressure their governments.

Mehran Raoof

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what consular support her Department is providing to Mehran Raoof.

James Cleverly: We continue to support British nationals in Iran who have asked for consular assistance and are in contact with Mr Raoof's family. Where a family has decided to keep a case out of the public domain we respect their right to do so and do not comment publicly.

Mozambique: Radicalism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support her Department has provided to the Mozambique Government on combatting Islamist insurgency in that country.

Vicky Ford: The UK is playing a leading role in Mozambique as co-chair of the international crisis taskforce, a platform for high-level dialogue and coordination between the Mozambique Government and its international partners on key issues including COVID-19 and the insurgency in the north of the country. Bilaterally, the UK signed a Defence MOU with the Government of Mozambique in May 2019 and we continue to work in partnership to address security issues of mutual interest. UK Aid has also provided over £22 million in humanitarian support in Cabo Delgado province, ensuring that people displaced by the crisis have access to food, water, shelter and basic health. We welcome recent progress by Mozambican defence and security forces, with support from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Rwanda, to take back areas previously under insurgent control, and will continue to work with the Government of Mozambique to build long term peace and stability.

Jamaica: Slavery

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her Jamaican counterpart on the open letter put together by a coalition of Jamaican politicians, business leaders, doctors and musicians on colonialism and the payment of slavery reparations.

Vicky Ford: Slavery was and still is abhorrent. The British Government renews its expressions of deep sorrow that the transatlantic slave trade could ever have happened, and recognises the deep sense of injustice felt in Jamaica and the other most affected parts of the world.

Middle East and North Africa: Climate Change

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of climate change on population movements in (a) North Africa and (b) the Middle East.

Vicky Ford: The UK recognises how urgent and important it is to ensure countries most vulnerable to climate change, including those in the MENA region, are able to respond to the risks they face. The UK is fully committed to working with countries to deliver the commitments made in the Glasgow Climate Pact at COP26, including through the Glasgow-Sharm el Sheikh work programme, to deliver on the Global Goal on Adaptation; developed countries' commitment to double their collective provision of climate finance for adaptation to developing countries by 2025; and the Glasgow Dialogue on Loss and Damage. The UK is strengthening climate resilience and adaptive capacity in MENA by investing in green finance, regional water management and weather and information services which will reduce exposure to climate risks.

Cuba: Demonstrations

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Cuban counterpart on reports that over 100 people who took part protests in Cuba in July have been sentenced to jail terms of up to 30 years.

Vicky Ford: We have raised our concerns over ongoing detentions, both in London and Havana, and continue to do so directly with the Cuban Government. We are clear that all Cubans should have the right to protest peacefully and that detention must not be used as a tool to restrict freedom of expression, assembly and religion or beliefThe UK was one of the first countries to call for the Cuban people to be allowed to express their views freely and peacefully following the Cuban Government's response to demonstrations on 11 July.

Russia: Sanctions

Virginia Crosbie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the (a) effectiveness of sanctions on Russian individuals and (b) potential merits of further extending those sanctions; and what steps she is taking to increase the transparency and integrity of the visa system to prevent inappropriate strategic investments in (i) London and (ii) the UK.

James Cleverly: We have now sanctioned over 1000 individuals, entities and subsidiaries since Putin's invasion of Ukraine. We are focusing our efforts on those measures which will have the biggest impact. The UK has targeted the political elite, introduced powers to cut off the Russian banking sector from the UK, and introduced restrictive trade measures.We have acted against the people and entities who facilitate the war in Ukraine and the harmful activities of the Russian Government. Specifically, we have committed to taking measures to limit the sale of citizenship-so called golden passports-that let wealthy Russians connected to the Russian Government become citizens of our countries and gain access to our financial systems.

Greece: Turkey

Alberto Costa: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help de-escalate tensions between Greece and Turkey.

James Cleverly: We welcome the recent meeting between Greek PM Mitsotakis and Turkish President Erdoğan on 13 March and the continuation of bilateral exploratory talks aimed at seeking a resolution to tensions in the Aegean Sea. Ministers regularly discuss regional issues with both Greek and Turkish counterparts and we continue to urge our partners in the Eastern Mediterranean to prioritise opportunities for dialogue and pursue de-escalation.

Cristiana Chamorro

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the detainment of opposition leader Cristiana Chamorro in Nicaragua.

Vicky Ford: Since the events of 2018 in Nicaragua, and more recently, Cristina Chamorro's arrest and the unfair trial and detentions of other opposition leaders, the UK has been vocal in condemning the government's crackdown on fundamental rights and freedoms.In parallel with the US and Canada, the UK imposed sanctions on a further eight Nicaraguan officials in November 2021 following Nicaragua's undemocratic elections. The UK continues to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all opposition leaders, including Cristiana Chamorro and other political prisoners in Nicaragua and for the full restoration of all their civil and political rights. We have raised our concerns with the Nicaraguan Government in London and in Managua and at multilateral fora. We will continue to work closely with our partners to promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Nicaragua.

Brazil and USA: Espionage

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Brazilian counterpart regarding reports that an American spy attempted to sell nuclear submarine secrets to Brazil in 2021.

Vicky Ford: It is the longstanding policy of successive British Governments that we do not comment on intelligence matters.

Members: Correspondence

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she will reply tot he correspondence of 11 January 2022 from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Lodge Hill on the detention of British citizen Shakeel Arshad.

James Cleverly: I [Minister Cleverly] replied to this correspondence on 23 January 2022.

Argentina: Gender Based Violence

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Argentine counterpart regarding gender-based violence and violence against women in that country.

Vicky Ford: Engaging with Argentina on gender based violence is a priority for the British Embassy in Buenos Aires and officials have worked with local civil society organisations on projects to gather evidence of abuse. As co-chairs of the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC), the UK and Argentina regularly discuss gender issues. Alongside 40 other countries and with over 120 civil society organisations, we are working together to end the violence, discrimination and persecution that persists today. Most recently, the Prime Minister's Special Envoy on LGBT+ Rights, the Rt Hon Lord Herbert, visited Argentina in February to discuss this important agenda and advance plans for the ERC conference we are hosting in June.

Development Aid

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department plans to announce the Official Development Assistance thematic allocations for 2022-23.

James Cleverly: We intend to publish FCDO's annual report for financial year 2021/22 pre-summer recess. The report will include our annual accounts for 2021/22 and will publish a forward look budget for the coming financial years.

Ministry of Defence

Guided Weapons

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of when he will be able to replace the UK's stock of (a) NLAW, (b) Javelin and (c) Starstreak.

Jeremy Quin: I can confirm that this Department is fully engaged with industry, allies and partners to ensure that all munitions stocks granted in kind to the armed forces of Ukraine are replaced as expeditiously as possible. In tandem, further stocks of such weapons already held by the UK but maintained at a lower state of readiness are being rapidly refurbished to add to the operational stockpile. Both processes are ongoing and, for obvious reasons of operational security, it would be inappropriate to discuss timelines or numbers at this stage.

Ukraine: Defence Equipment

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has had discussions with UK defence manufacturers on additional support to increase production of defence materials for Ukraine; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of intervention in the semiconductor market to ensure suppliers of defence materials for Ukraine are prioritised in relation to the supply of semiconductors.

Jeremy Quin: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has regular conversations with our Ukrainian counterparts to determine and prioritise their requirements. As part of this process, MOD continually manages and reviews all of its stocks of weapons and munitions to ensure that it can meet its commitments, including supplying to Ukraine, whilst ensuring stocks held by UK Armed Forces are sufficiently maintained. Delivery schedules for platforms and weapons are under continual review, including with defence manufacturers, and subject to adjustment in accordance with evolving Defence requirements. We are working very closely with government colleagues and industry experts to better understand the immediate impact of sanctions on chip supply chains. We have not identified any issues of concern, but continue to keep the situation under ongoing review.

AWACS: Repairs and Maintenance

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how long it took the Military Aviation Authority to approve STS Aviation for work on modifying the UK's E-7 Wedgetail.

Jeremy Quin: The Military Aviation Authority (MAA), part of the Defence Safety Authority, were first approached by STS Aviation on 22 April 2020 regarding their participation in the UK E-7 Wedgetail programme. STS Aviation Services Ltd submitted their formal application for Maintenance Approved Organisation Scheme Part 145 approval on 24 August 2020 and were awarded an approval by the MAA on 12 March 2021.

Armed Forces Covenant

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department plans to take to monitor the application of the new Armed Forces Covenant Duty on relevant public bodies; and if he will take steps to ensure members of the Armed Forces community have access to information on the effectiveness of the Covenant's operation.

Leo Docherty: The Government is currently working with stakeholders to explore methods to review the effectiveness of the Covenant Duty. The Government has committed to formally review the effectiveness of the Duty in the Covenant Annual Report 2023, which will be laid before Parliament, and made available to members of the public.

Veterans: Employment

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to enable ex-service personnel to find employment in the defence industry.

Leo Docherty: The Government's aim is to support veterans making the transition to civilian life and to assist them in finding fulfilling and meaningful careers after leaving Service, including within the wider defence industry. The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) regularly reviews the employment market and looks to provide Service leavers with appropriate education and reskilling opportunities. CTP provide a range of courses to support employment within the Defence industry, for example reskilling into shortage areas such as the provision of specialist Network/Cyber courses.CTP work with a wide range of Defence departments such as Defence Equipment and Support, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, to promote their opportunities to those personnel in resettlement. There are specific programmes, like 'Great Place To Work' and 'Going Forward Into Employment', which offer Service personnel guaranteed interviews for those who meet the appropriate criteria. CTP also work with a wide range of Defence contractors, many of which utilise RightJob, the CTP jobs board, as well as attending CTP Employment Fairs and events to attract talent from the Services.

Armed Forces: Mental Health Services

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help ensure that individuals are not medically discharged from the Armed Forces with a mental health need without (a) receiving a formal diagnosis and information on treatment and support options and (b) a referral to appropriate services where clinically recommended.

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure there are thorough mental health assessments for those leaving the military with a physical injury, even where no symptoms have presented.

Leo Docherty: Structured Mental Health Assessments are part of the medical discharge process, conducted by Defence GPs, that screen for mental disorders at the point of discharge: individuals can then be signposted appropriately.Where personnel leaving the Armed Forces have an enduring need for mental healthcare, we work in partnership with the NHS to ensure continuation of care. Personnel who have been assessed and diagnosed with a mental health need are able to access Departments of Community Mental Health for up to six months after discharge to provide continuity of care during the transition period until appropriate handover to other services can be completed as required.The through life mental health support now provided to Service personnel will also have a positive impact on the veterans of the future; we are ensuring that Armed Forces personnel have the psychological resilience training they need to recognise mental ill-health in themselves and those around them and know how to manage it.

Defence Medical Services

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on the roll-out of the Cortisone programme to ensure that those medically discharged from the Armed Forces (a) receive their medical history documents within one month of leaving the military and (b) can register with a civilian GP to continue to receive treatment.

Leo Docherty: Under Programme Cortisone, a Primary Medical Care Solution is being developed that will link Ministry of Defence (MOD) systems with national NHS systems across the UK. This will seamlessly transfer an individual's electronic healthcare record from their civilian GP to the MOD, when they join the Armed Forces, and back to a nominated civilian GP practice when they leave.This will greatly improve current systems, allowing individuals' electronic registration with a civilian GP practice up to 3 months before leaving. This early ability to register and seamless transfer of patient information will better enable continuity of care, minimising the risk to the patient.The Primary Medical Care Solution is currently expected to go live in early 2023, followed by an 18-month rollout to all Defence Medical Services practices.

World War II: Medals

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government plans to mark the service of the 125,000 Bomber Command volunteers during the Second World War with a dedicated campaign medal for their service.

Leo Docherty: The contribution of all those who served in Bomber Command, and the major contribution that Bomber Command made to the Allied victory in the Second World War in the face of significant losses, remains appreciated by the Government. Following the independent Medal Review in 2012 by Sir John Holmes, a Bomber Command Clasp to the 1939-45 Star was introduced for aircrew who served in Bomber Command. The Department has no plans to recommend that a review into a new campaign medal for Service in Bomber Command be undertaken.

Ukraine: Refugees

James Wild: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to offer (a) empty MOD homes (b) military accommodation to house people under the Homes for Ukrainians scheme.

Leo Docherty: Under the UK Government's 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme, as of 20 March 2022, over 150,000 expressions of interest have been received from individuals and organisations. The Ministry of Defence is assessing how the Department can contribute to the scheme, noting the unique nature of Service accommodation, which includes potential security implications where accommodation is 'behind the wire'.Should a formal request be received for Defence to assist with accommodation for Ukrainian refugees, it will be considered in line with Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) principles.

UK Space Command: Finance

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's budget is for pay and reward for personnel to establish the Space Command for the financial year 2022-2023.

Leo Docherty: The funding allocated to UK Space Command for Workforce for the financial year 2022-23 is £15.37 million.

Annington Homes

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of an agreement with Annington homes to enable leased empty accommodation to be repurposed for Afghan refugees.

Leo Docherty: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) continues to work closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and with the Home Office to support cross-Government efforts in identifying housing and settling requirements for eligible Afghans as they start their new lives in the UK. This includes the provision of Defence accommodation where appropriate.Utilising Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties to temporarily house eligible Afghan families provides much needed interim capacity and assistance to Local Authorities at a time when it remains challenging to source suitable accommodation, particularly for some of the larger families eligible under the Aghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme.MOD has assessed that up to 550 such properties can be leased for between 12 months and five years, dependent on location, without impacting on Defence operations or Service families, and these properties have been offered up to Local Authorities to house ARAP families.The Government aim is to provide long term, settled accommodation in local communities for Aghan families as they build new lives in the UK, and as of 16 March, 3,878 ARAP individuals had moved into such settled accommodation.

Armed Forces: Females

Jamie Stone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government has taken to respond to the recommendations that it accepted made by the Second Report of the Defence Committee, Protecting those who protect us: Women in the Armed Forces from Recruitment to Civilian Life, published 25 July 2021.

Leo Docherty: Defence is grateful to all the women who contributed to the Defence Committee's Report; we have listened carefully and are implementing bold changes in response. The Secretary of State for Defence personally tested the Ministry of Defence's response with the Defence Service Women's Networks to ensure the important issues highlighted by the Report were comprehensively addressed and that no opportunity was missed to bring about meaningful and enduring change.The Chiefs of Staff are fully committed to making the Armed Forces inclusive and respectful working environments. This is essential for operational effectiveness. They are personally leading programmes to root out remaining unacceptable behaviour in their organisations.As a direct result of this inquiry, Defence has committed to:A six-month sprint to accelerate new Women's Health policiesA six-month sprint to improve Servicewomen's uniform and equipmentStrengthen rules on sexual offences and exploitationA more independent Service Complaints processCareer penalties for "cover ups"A new Defence Serious Crime Unit and improved victim care and supportLearn from international Defence organisationsAction to help women achieve promotionsRegular dialogue with Service Women and Gender NetworksImprove Servicewomen's training experienceWe remain committed to implementing the combined recommendations of the Defence Committee inquiry, the Wigston Review and the Gray Review in full. Cultural change takes time and we accept this will be an enduring programme of work to which senior leaders across Defence are committed.

Ukraine: Biological and Chemical Weapons

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that people in Ukraine have access to personal protective equipment in the event that chemical and biological weapons are used in that country.

James Heappey: The Ukrainian authorities have expressed concern that Russia could resort to the use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) weapons. The UK government is discussing with Ukraine and our partners how best to respond to Ukraine's request for assistance to protect their citizens against such abhorrent and illegal attacks.The Ministry of Defence has been at the forefront of providing support to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and will continue to work closely with international partners to consider specific support to respond to Ukraine's request for counter-CBRN military assistance.

Question

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to reduce the number of reservists in the armed forces.

James Heappey: There are no plans to reduce the number of reservists in the Armed Forces.We are continuing to recruit reservists through active and targeted campaigns. Our plan is that over the next decade, our reservists will be given new, more clearly defined roles to make the best use of our resources and to harness the talents of wider UK society.

COP26

Climate Change: Development Aid

Munira Wilson: To ask the President of COP26, what steps the Government is taking as COP President to ensure that the $100 billion International Climate Finance commitment is met before 2023.

Alok Sharma: In the lead up to COP26, the UK Presidency has made significant progress in securing new and ambitious finance commitments. 95% of the largest donors made new commitments to the $100bn goal, which will be reached by 2023 at the latest, and continue on a rising trajectory through to 2025. It is now likely that $500 billion will be mobilised over the period 21-25. Throughout our Presidency year, working with other donor countries will be a top priority, and we will continue to work with developed countries to ensure the implementation of the climate finance Delivery plan. At COP26, we also agreed to a first report on the $100bn/yr goal under the UNFCCC to ensure we maintain focus and build trust.

Forests and Land Use

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the President of COP26, what recent discussions he has had with other signatories of the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use made at UNFCCC COP26 on (a) governance of the Declaration, (b) accountability for implementation, and (c) tracking of progress.

Alok Sharma: The Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use is an unprecedented commitment from over 140 countries covering over 90% of global forests to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. It is underpinned by almost $20bn of public and private finance, by commitments to sustainable trade and by support for indigenous peoples’ rights. We are working with other countries that endorsed the Declaration to convert this political commitment into strong action on forests and land use. This will include working through multilateral events in 2022 such as meetings of the G7 and G20, and at COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity. All Parties to the Paris Agreement must report on their progress towards its goals via their national Greenhouse Gas Inventories - which cover every emitting sector including forests and land use. In addition, where Parties have opted to include forests and land use in their nationally determined contributions, they will also be obliged to report on these to show progress towards achieving their emission reductions targets. At COP26, as part of the Glasgow Climate Pact, countries agreed to revisit and strengthen their current emissions targets to 2030 in 2022.

Climate Change

Henry Smith: To ask the President of COP26, what recent discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on the role of the food system in global emissions.

Alok Sharma: In February 2021, the UK and Indonesia established the Forest, Agriculture and Commodity Trade (FACT) Dialogue, bringing together major producer and consumer countries of agricultural commodities to work together to protect forests while promoting development and trade. COP President addressed members of the dialogue on the importance of the food system in global emissions and building sustainable supply chains to keep 1.5 degrees alive and saw the launch of the FACT Roadmap at COP26, which committed members to work together to advance sustainable production and trade, and outlining actions to incentivise sustainability, support smallholder farmers, improve transparency of supply chains, and drive innovation.The UK Government and World Bank co-convened a Policy Dialogue on Accelerating Transition to Sustainable Agriculture, which brought together 34 leading countries to share their experience and opportunities to deliver transformation through repurposing public policies and support and innovation. The UK COP Presidency raised visibility and mobilised action for transformation in agriculture, land use and food systems. We will continue to work with key partners in taking forward delivery of COP26 commitments in 2022 to deliver on the ambition of accelerating a transition to a more sustainable food system.

Church Commissioners

Church of England

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what plans the Church of England has to change the definition of a parish; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 on the definition of a parish.

Andrew Selous: There are no plans to change the legal definition of a parish.The Mission and Pastoral Measure carries forward from previous legislation a well-established legal definition of a parish in section 105: Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 (legislation.gov.uk)The Church Representation Rules also contain a definition in rule 82: Church Representation Rules online - part 8 | The Church of England

Department for International Trade

Import Duties: USA

Holly Mumby-Croft: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will provide an update on the negotiations with the US Administration on the removal of S232 tariffs on UK steel and aluminium.

Penny Mordaunt: Following two months of intensive discussions, the UK secured an expansive removal of Section 232 tariffs on UK steel and aluminium exports to the US on 22 March. The solution reached with the US is bespoke for the UK and reflects the needs and interests of our steel and aluminium industries.From 1 June 2022, the US will replace its Section 232 tariffs on certain UK exports of steel and aluminium with “tariff-rate quotas” (TRQs). This re-opens tariff-free access to the US market back to levels before section 232 tariffs up to a specified volume. This will bring welcome relief to the UK steel and aluminium industries which support the jobs of around 80,000 people across the UK supply chain.A Written Ministerial Statement detailing the key elements of the solution was laid before the House on 23 March 2022, UIN: HCWS710.

Women and Equalities

Conversion Therapy

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps her Department has taken during the consultation on Banning conversions therapy to close the gap in available data on the impact of conversion therapies on (a) women and (b) people from ethnic minority groups.

Mike Freer: Findings from the National LGBT Survey 2017, which had responses from over 108,000 LGBT people in the UK, found that men were generally slightly more likely to have undergone or been offered conversion therapy (8%) than women (6%). Black/African/Caribbean/black British (13%) and Asian/Asian British (14%) respondents, and respondents belonging to an ‘other’ ethnic group (15%), were more likely than white (7%) respondents to have undergone or been offered conversion therapy.Our consultation on banning conversion therapy, which closed on 4 February, collected data on the sex and ethnicity of respondents, along with other demographics. This data will be considered as part of our analysis of consultation results. We have no current plans to undertake any additional research however, alongside the consultation, officials and Ministers continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure all perspectives are heard.

Department for Transport

Shipping

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what policy objectives will be achieved by the Maritime 2050 strategy.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department will publish the maritime recovery route map.

Robert Courts: Maritime 2050 is the challenging, ambitious vision for the future of UK Maritime. It sets out 184 recommendations across seven themes (UK competitive advantage, technology, people, environment, trade, infrastructure and security & resilience). These recommendations provide the blueprint for dealing with the challenges facing the sector such as climate change and resilience events; preparing for long term growth in seaborne trade; emergence of disruptive technologies; ensuring that the sector has the skills and experience it needs; as well as maintaining the UK’s reputation for setting the highest standards on maritime safety and seafarer rights and welfare. Recognising the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the maritime sector we will be publishing a Recovery Route Map in the coming months setting out the short-term actions that government and industry will take to help the sector come back stronger and even more resilient.

Fisheries: Wales

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment on the effect of Marine Guidance Note 628 on the Welsh fishing fleet.

Robert Courts: Marine Guidance Note 628 came into effect on 20 July 2020, when SEAFISH Industry Authority ceased to undertake the survey of new build fishing vessels. An internal assessment was conducted on the impact of the changes on all fishing vessels being built in the United Kingdom or for The UK Ship Register, which will have included those built for use in Wales. To ensure a smooth transition, no changes to the technical requirements of the standards were made until a formal review has taken place.

Refugees: Ukraine

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what additional steps he will take to help ensure that refugees travelling from Ukraine to the UK can travel for free from their point of arrival to their host destination.

Robert Courts: The Government is determined to ensure that Ukrainian evacuees encounter a warm reception in the UK, and the Department for Transport is working with partners from across the transport industry to provide free onward travel by public transport. As part of a national scheme organised by the Department working with industry, most public transport operators will provide free onward travel to Ukrainian evacuees to their final destinations in Great Britain. All National Rail train operators in Great Britain, and most bus, coach and light rail operators are participating in this scheme.

Road Signs and Markings: Local Government

Gill Furniss: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adoption of sector scheme seven compliance by local authorities when contracting road marking services.

Trudy Harrison: The Department has made no assessment of local highway authority adoption or compliance with the sector scheme seven when contracting road marking services.

Manchester Airport: India

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has had discussions with (a) Manchester Airport, (b) airlines and (c) other stakeholders on establishing a direct airlink between Manchester and (a) Mumbai and (b) New Delhi.

Robert Courts: DfT officials hold regular discussions with airlines, airports and international partners, including India, to facilitate global connectivity. Routes operated, and the flights on those routes, between the UK and India are a commercial decision made freely by airlines not by the Government. The Indian authorities have recently announced the lifting of their ‘air bubble’ restrictions from 27th March. This had limited the number of services permitted to operate between the UK and India. Services between the UK and India will resume under the terms of the UK-India Air Services Agreement (ASA) that has no restrictions on routes between New Delhi and Mumbai and Manchester airport.

Fuels: Prices

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on financial support for sectors most affected by increased fuel prices.

Trudy Harrison: I regularly meet with Cabinet colleagues and DfT is working closely with HMT to monitor and assess the impact of fuel prices on the transport sector. My Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has just announced a temporary 12 month cut to duty on petrol and diesel of 5p per litre, representing a saving worth around £100 for the average car driver, £200 for the average van driver, and £1500 for the average haulier.

Road Works: Safety

Gill Furniss: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure there is opportunity for effective participation in the review of the Safety at Street Works and Road Works Code of Practice.

Trudy Harrison: The Department continues to work closely with the Highways Authorities and Utilities Committee England (HAUC), devolved administrations and wider stakeholders in its review of the safety code and will continue to broaden participation as the review progresses.

Taxis: Fuels

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact of increased fuel prices on the viability of taxi businesses.

Trudy Harrison: Private hire vehicle operators are able to set their own fares so fuel price increases can be considered. Licensing authorities are responsible for setting taxi fare tariffs, these should pay regard to the needs of the travelling public and what it is reasonable to expect people to pay, but also to the need to give taxi drivers the ability to earn a sufficient income and so incentivise them to provide a service when it is needed. My Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has just announced a temporary 12 month cut to duty on petrol and diesel of 5p per litre, representing a saving worth around £100 for the average car driver, £200 for the average van driver, and £1500 for the average haulier.

Driving Tests: Internet

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the effect of online driving test services and digital applications nationally marketing cancelled driving tests on local availability of driving tests.

Trudy Harrison: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not take the decision to cancel driving tests lightly and will only do so when it has exhausted every possible avenue and tried to find another examiner to provide cover. All available practical driving test appointments, including cancellations, are shown on the live booking system to everyone at the same time. Any additional tests are added as soon as they become available. The DVSA has a 24-week forward booking window and tests are not available to book beyond this. Candidates can check for earlier appointments at their local test centres on the gov.uk/change-driving-test services. Other candidates cancelling or rescheduling their test also free up slots for others to book, and appointments may be available at other nearby centres.  The DVSA is aware of apps or bots that constantly search its system for driving test slots. These are not approved by the DVSA and make it harder for candidates to get a test and can also result in people paying more for a test than the official test fee. There is also a risk that candidates may not receive important information about their test. The DVSA has invested in making it harder for bots to access its booking services and there has been a significant drop in traffic to these services due to successfully identifying and blocking bots. The DVSA will continue to inform candidates of the official channels for booking a test.

Aviation: UK Relations with EU

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has consulted under Article 438 of the UK and EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on the planned measures in the Aviation Consumer Policy Reform proposals; and if he will make statement.

Robert Courts: The Aviation Consumer Policy Reform Consultation was shared with the relevant EU officials. The consultation is open to responses from anyone with an interest in the proposals, including from the EU.

Aviation: Compensation

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to amend Regulation EC261/2004 as retained in UK law, which expires at the end of 2022.

Robert Courts: We are currently consulting on a number of aviation consumer protection areas in the Aviation Consumer Policy Reform Consultation. Next steps including consideration of any potential legislative requirements, will be published, following comprehensive analysis of the responses received on the consultation following its closure on the 27 March 2022.

Railway Stations: Construction

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the track gradient was for each new train station built in the last 10 years.

Wendy Morton: The location of new stations must satisfy safety regulations and performance and not be located on gradients greater than 1 in 500. Network Rail holds gradient information for each station built in the last 10 years.

Department for Education

Foster Care: Ukraine

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether local authority fosters carers will be eligible to host Ukrainian (a) groups and (b) individuals under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Will Quince: Any household can come forward to the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme. The decision to become a host family should involve everyone living in the household, including children, whose views, wishes and feeling should be taken into account. There will be additional considerations when the household includes children in foster care.Foster carers are required to give written notice to their fostering provider when there is a change in the composition of the household. The department would expect foster carers to contact their fostering service provider and the local authority/authorities for any children already living in their care when considering applying to the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme (where the local authority is not their fostering service provider).If a foster carer has capacity to take additional children, the department encourages them to approach their local authority about what support they can provide, including to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children already in the country and those who continue to arrive.

Students: Ukraine

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has discussions with representatives of (a) universities and (b) colleges on enabling access to further and higher education for Ukrainian refugees; and if he will make that education free of charge.

Michelle Donelan: The department has been working closely with the education sector and across government more widely to ensure that Ukrainian students are supported during this difficult time. In March 2022, I convened the higher education (HE) taskforce, bringing together representatives from across the sector to discuss how we can work together to facilitate the progression of Ukrainian students to HE.Ukrainians aged 19 and over and their family members settled under the Ukraine Family Scheme, and the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) in the UK, can access training to gain the skills they need to move on with their lives. This includes provision funded through the Adult education budget (including English to Speakers of Other Languages) and level 3 free courses for job offer.

Schools: Energy

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance he is providing to schools on planning for increases in gas and electricity costs between April 2022 and March 2023; and what estimate he has made of the potential increase in those costs schools.

Mr Robin Walker: The department recognises that schools will be facing cost pressures in the coming months due to the increase in energy prices. The department is looking carefully at how cost increases will impact schools and we are considering what additional support the department could offer.The department knows that the vast majority of school expenditure is devoted to staff costs. This means that, even while energy costs are rising, inflation in this area would have an impact on a small portion of a school’s budget overall. The department pays close attention to the financial health of the sector, and we are closely assessing where energy costs may more significantly impact schools’ financial health.The energy market remains volatile and whilst prices have reduced recently, they remain high against long-term prices. Individual schools’ situations will vary significantly, depending on their energy contract length, if the energy rate is fixed for the life of the contract or variable during the contract, when the contract is due for renewal, and who the suppliers are.Frameworks approved by the department are available to all state-funded schools to provide renewal quotes, where required. The guidance to finding a suitable framework is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-a-dfe-approved-framework-for-your-school. Alternative providers are also available, including from other public sector buying organisations. It remains the responsibility of individual schools and trusts to decide who their energy suppliers should be.The department continues to recommend that schools do not allow their existing contracts to expire before contacting their current supplier to discuss a contract extension. This is because buying energy out of contract is more expensive than buying at the market rate. Any changes to an existing energy contract require careful consideration of the terms and conditions and the costs and risks associated with changing supplier. Current energy market prices are likely to be significantly higher than any existing agreement.The ‘get help buying for schools’ procurement team is available to provide schools with free advice and guidance to all state-funded schools on their energy contracts. This service can be found here: https://www.get-help-buying-for-schools.service.gov.uk/procurement-support?referred_by=aHR0cDovL2ZpbmQtZGZlLWFwcHJvdmVkLWZyYW1ld29yay5zZXJ2aWNlLmdvdi51ay9zZWxlY3Rpb24=/.

National Tutoring Programme: Advertising

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much money his Department (a) budgeted for this financial year and (b) has spent to date on social media advertising for the National Tutoring Programme; on what date that advertising expenditure commenced; and if he will make an estimate of the (i) average spend per day and (ii) daily cost per click of that advertising expenditure.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness and value for money achieved by social media advertising by, for, or on behalf of the National Tutoring Programme; and whether that assessment includes evaluation relative to (a) other forms of advertising by, for, or on behalf of the National Tutoring Programme, and (b) other social media advertising conducted by, for, or on behalf of programmes which are run by, for, or on behalf of his Department.

Mr Robin Walker: Since the National Tutoring Programme began in November 2020, over one million courses have started, and the programme remains on track to achieve the ambitious target of delivering two million high quality tuition courses this academic year.All programme costs are included as part of the £1.1 billion investment in the National Tutoring Programme. All key information about the programme is communicated to schools and the public using a range of media, including social media.£150,000 is allocated for year 2 of the National Tutoring Programme on all communications activities. Paid-for marketing includes a mixture of digital advertising, social media, public relations and events. £95,000 of the £150,000 has been spent to date.Independent evaluations of the programme are being carried out, which will focus on pupil progress and also look at school and teacher impacts and explore reasons for non-participation. Separately, we regularly evaluate the awareness of the programme with teachers and parents.

English Language: Education

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the sufficiency of teachers qualified to teach English as a second language to Ukrainian speakers.

Mr Robin Walker: The department is preparing to make sure all school-age children who resettle from Ukraine are able to access education. We are working across government on this and will set out more details when available.Just like any other children living in the UK, Ukrainian children have a right to attend school in England. Local authorities are obliged to offer suitable schooling. All school-age children arriving from Ukraine will be eligible.Schools are responsible for ensuring that all their pupils, including those who have a first language other than English, develop the English language skills they require to access the curriculum and achieve their potential. Schools are experienced in supporting children with English as an additional language. The expectation that they should do so is set out in the Teachers’ Standards. It is also covered in initial teacher training (ITT) courses.All ITT courses must be designed to allow trainees to meet the teachers’ standards, including standard 5. This states that teachers adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils. Standard 5 is clear that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with English as an additional language. The Teachers’ Standards are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teachers-standards.Ukrainians aged 19+ and their family members settled under the Ukraine Family Scheme, and the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) in the UK, can access training to gain the skills they need to move on with their lives. This includes provision funded through the Adult Education Budget, including ESOL, and level 3 free courses for job offer.

Textbooks: Languages

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has given directions to his Department to assess or improve capacity for translating educational materials into (a) Ukrainian and (b) Russian.

Mr Robin Walker: 10,000 lessons can now be auto-translated into Ukrainian, Russian, and other languages through remote education resource Oak National Academy, serving millions of children through the COVID-19 pandemic. This will help schools who support many pupils for whom English is a second language.

Childminding: Coronavirus

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of making financial support available to child minders where they are unable to provide childminding services as a result of someone in their household testing positive for covid-19.

Will Quince: The department has recently reviewed and updated guidance for childminders with the UK Health Security Agency. From Thursday 17 March 2022, childminders can continue to childmind in their homes if someone who lives with them has tested positive or has COVID-19 symptoms.Childminders are advised to follow the steps below to reduce the risk of onward transmission:The person who has tested positive or has COVID-19 symptoms should avoid contact with the children being cared for in the setting.Where possible, use separate toilet and handwashing facilities. If this is not possible, maintain extra cleaning and hygiene routines, particularly after the person has used the facilities.Notify parents, carers, and any assistants that someone has tested positive or has COVID-19 symptoms, as soon as reasonably possible and maintain open communication with them throughout.Consider the need to reduce the spread of COVID-19 with mitigations, such as ventilation and extra cleaning and hygiene routines, which should be applied where practical and safe to do so.Comply with health and safety law by reviewing your risk assessment, demonstrating that the provision of childcare in your setting is safe, and how you will put into place any additional but proportionate measures.Additional information on how to stay safe and help prevent the spread of COVID-19 can be found in guidance published by the Cabinet Office, available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do?priority-taxon=774cee22-d896-44c1-a611-e3109cce8eae?utm_source=17%20March%202022%20C19&utm_medium=Daily%20Email%20C19&utm_campaign=DfE%20C19.Childminders can also consider using alternative places to operate such as other childminders’ houses, where possible.

Adoption: Mental Health

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will takes steps to help ensure local authority accountability in cases where full mental health information is not disclosed to adoptive parents prior to adoption.

Will Quince: Adoption regulations, supported by statutory guidance, provide for a full range of information to be gathered about a child where adoption is considered to be the most appropriate permanence option. The child’s permanence report, which is shared with prospective adopters, must include a summary of the child’s current physical and mental health written by the relevant medical adviser. It is in the best interests of children that all accurate information, where known, is shared with adoptive families.Where an adopter believes that this has not happened, they can make a complaint under the local authority published complaints procedure. If someone is dissatisfied with the response they get from their local authority they can refer the matter to the Local Government Ombudsman.As part of the implementation of the government’s adoption strategy, achieving excellence everywhere, the department will work with regional adoption agencies to ensure all adopters are given all the health information about the child they will be adopting.

Teachers: Re-employment

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2022, on Teachers: Re-employment, what steps he has taken to improve operational planning and the collection of statistical information about the re-employment of teachers while minimising the burden on contractors.

Mr Robin Walker: Given the important role that organisations such as supply agencies play in supporting schools to maintain face to face education, it is right that we minimise data collection burdens, as this allows them to focus on their core functions.There is no routine collection of statistical information about supply staff. Supply staff can find work through several channels and are not restricted to using supply agencies. Schools can engage supply teachers directly, and school leaders have autonomy over how they staff their schools and access temporary staff.We maintain regular contact with a range of supply agencies, key trade bodies, and trade unions to monitor the supply market.

Leader of the House

Members: Conduct

Owen Thompson: To ask the Leader of the House, with reference to the Government's submission of written evidence to the Committee on Standards review of the Code of Conduct for Members, CCC0032, March 2022, HC 954, what evidential basis is there for the Government's view that the imposition of fixed constraints such as time limits on the amount of time that Members can spend on outside work would be impractical.

Mark Spencer: The Government firmly believes that an MP’s primary job is and must be to serve their constituents and represent their interests in Parliament. The House has historically benefited from Members having outside experience; this is why we brought forward an amendment during the debate on 17 November 2021 that outside work should be undertaken only within “reasonable limits”.However, the imposition of fixed constraints such as time limits would not necessarily serve to address recent concerns over paid advocacy and the primary duty of MPs to serve their constituents. It could be possible, for example, for a Member to conduct work within the accepted time limits but that does not necessarily mean such work is “appropriate” even if it did not constitute ‘paid advocacy’.In respect of a cap on earnings from outside work, to impose such a limit could serve to prohibit activities which do not bring undue influence to bear on the political system. Earnings from activities such as writing books for example, would not preclude Members from meeting their principal duty to their constituents. We believe that it is possible for MPs to strike the right balance between their parliamentary duties and outside work so long as it falls within reasonable limits.This will ultimately be a matter for the House to consider and the Government awaits the recommendations of the Committee on Standards.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Air Pollution

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will (a) publish a media release to warn the public of high and very high air pollution forecast for the UK this week and (b) actively circulate that release to the main media outlets.

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to communicate forecasts of high and very high air pollution in the UK to the public; and in what form those communications will be.

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department last sent a media release to the national media to warn the public about an air pollution episode.

Jo Churchill: Information on both the current and forecast air pollution levels is disseminated to the public in near real-time (https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/). This includes summary forecasts, measurements and health advice. When the forecast shows high air pollution, information is actively shared via social media and cascaded through a network of stakeholders including the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and health charities. Defra’s communications and media teams routinely engage with national and local media outlets to convey information on air pollution episodes and actions the public may take. Defra, UKHSA and the Department of Health and Social Care have launched a comprehensive review into the way that we communicate air quality information.

Game: Birds

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether a licence is required to release gamebirds into the wild within an Avian Influenza disease control zone in the event that those birds are still considered livestock as a result of being significantly dependent on the provision of food, water or shelter for their survival.

Victoria Prentis: Following confirmation of notifiable avian influenza in poultry or other captive birds, disease control zones are put in place surrounding the infected premises. Within these disease control zones, a range of controls are in place to prevent the spread of disease, including restrictions on the movement of poultry and other captive birds (including kept gamebirds), carcases, eggs, used poultry litter and manure. Definitive requirements are set out in the declaration published on GOV.UK for each disease control zone. Keepers can check where disease control zones are located in GB and if they are in zone on the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) interactive map. The release of gamebirds in avian influenza disease control zones is prohibited, no licenses permitting this activity can be granted. Guidance for gamebird keepers on avian influenza has been prepared by game shooting, research and game conservation bodies and is endorsed by Defra, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and DAERA in Northern Ireland and is available via the Game Farmers Association website.

Agriculture: Land Use

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on (a) the recommendations on land use in the National Food Strategy and (b) the allocation of land within the planning system for food growing and farming.

Victoria Prentis: (a) The Food Strategy White Paper will set out Government's ambition for the food system: to support exceptional British food and drink producers, and to protect and enhance the nation's health and the natural environment for generations to come. We are working closely with other Government Departments to consider the evidence of Henry Dimbleby's independent review, which has made a significant contribution to our work on land use change and land management.We are working closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and the Secretaries of State have regular discussions about a range of issues including land use, planning and food production. Given ongoing wider circumstances we are postponing publication of the Food Strategy until after the pre-election period for the local elections.b) The Government recognises the importance of food production and has set out a legal obligation to produce an assessment of our food security at least once every three years, set out in December 2021's first UK Food Security Report. It recognised the contribution made by British farmers to our resilience, and the importance of strong domestic production to our food security. This report will serve as an evidence base for future policy work.In many parts of England, using land for food and agriculture will not specifically require planning permission. However, our National Planning Policy Framework is clear that food production and farming should be recognised to ensure that sustainable development is achieved, including requiring local authorities to reference the benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land. The Framework is also clear that local authorities should encourage efficient use of land and acknowledges the importance of undeveloped land for food production.

Dogs: Imports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment on the effectiveness of restrictions on the import of dogs with cropped ears or docked tails.

Victoria Prentis: The practice of non-exempted mutilations such as cropping dogs' ears is abhorrent and has rightly been banned in the UK for 15 years.Importers of animals must adhere to welfare standards on the protection of animals during transport as set out in Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005 and in domestic legislation, The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006 (WATEO). This legislation aims to protect the health and welfare of animals during transportation and applies to dogs that are suffering injury as a result of non-exempted mutilations including cropped ears.The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill was introduced in Parliament on 8 June 2021 and will progress through Parliament when parliamentary time allows. The Bill allows us to protect the welfare of pets by introducing restrictions to crack down on the low welfare movements of pets into Great Britain and includes powers to introduce new restrictions on pet travel and on the commercial import of pets on welfare grounds, via secondary legislation.In August 2021, the Government launched an eight-week consultation on our proposed restrictions to the commercial and non-commercial movement of pets into Great Britain. This included proposals to ban the commercial and non-commercial movement into Great Britain of dogs which have been subjected to low welfare practices such as ear cropping or tail docking. We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation and will publish a summary in due course. This will allow us to take on board the views of the public and interested groups in order to shape our future policy.

Agriculture: Exports

Virginia Crosbie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on recruiting agricultural representatives in key global export markets to facilitate the access to those markets for UK food and drink producers; and what resources will be available to those representatives to develop that export initiative.

Victoria Prentis: In November, the Government announced a substantial increase to our international agri-food capability, through the recruitment of eight new agriculture, food and drink attachés. Since then Defra officials have worked with colleagues across Government and the international network to design this expanded agri-food attaché network, and determine the most impactful locations and portfolios for these roles. We will launch the recruitment of these new roles imminently, and aim to appoint and induct the new agri-food attachés rapidly in the coming months. The agri-food attachés themselves represent a significant commitment from the Government to increase our agri-food export capability. To support this expanded international network, we are laying the groundwork to ensure the agri-food attachés are well connected to all relevant Government stakeholders and policy levers, ensuring that the additional capability that they bring is as impactful as possible for all parts of the UK. This will build on the successful work of our existing Agriculture Counsellor roles in China and the Gulf. For example, the Agriculture Counsellor in China was pivotal to securing lucrative market access for pork, and protecting agri-food exports when new import conditions were applied last year.

Gun Sports: Lead

Olivia Blake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to implement a full ban on the use of lead ammunition in gamebird shooting.

Jo Churchill: In spring 2021, Defra asked the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency (EA) to prepare a UK REACH restriction dossier for lead ammunition. The HSE and the EA are considering the evidence of risk posed by lead in ammunition on human health and the environment and, therefore, the case for introducing a UK REACH restriction on lead in ammunition. We expect HSE to launch a public consultation on their dossier in Spring 2022 and to publish their final opinions in Spring 2023. After which, the Secretary of State, with the consent of the Scottish and Welsh Ministers, will make a decision on the basis of this review.

Microplastics

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of how businesses and manufacturers can reduce the microplastics in (a) personal care products and (b) clothes.

Jo Churchill: Microbeads have been banned in rinse-off personal care and cleaning products since 2018. We encourage businesses not to add them into any products that are out of scope of the ban. The Government’s Resources & Waste Strategy for England (2018) identified textiles as one of five priority sectors for consideration of an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme and product standards. Our draft Waste Prevention Programme for England, consulted on in March 2021, affirms this commitment and sets out our approach to develop policy options. We are working closely with industry via Textiles 2030, an industry-led voluntary agreement (managed by WRAP), which is underpinned by ambitious science-based targets, including halving the carbon footprint of new products by 50% by 2030 and reducing the water footprint by 30% by 2030. The Microfibre Consortium is a signatory to the initiative and WRAP is working with the Consortium on the Textiles 2030 Roadmap.

Fishing Vessels: Alternative Fuels

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of a commitment to investing in alternative fuel use in the Joint Fisheries Statement, to enable widespread decarbonisation of fishing fleets.

Victoria Prentis: The Joint Fisheries Statement recognises the importance of this issue, particularly in respect to reducing emissions. This is especially important given the wider implications of the situation in Ukraine and considerations of energy security. We have commissioned some work from Cefas to look at the net zero pathway for the UK fleet and will work with the fishing industry to seek out the most appropriate solutions, which will include the consideration of a range of measures for example from alternative fuels to, engine upgrades, gear changes and greener technology.

Fertilisers

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to safeguard British production of fertilizer for food production.

Victoria Prentis: The UK sources fertiliser from a wide range of countries and also produces fertiliser such as ammonium nitrate domestically. The situation and impacts on farmers in particular, and industry more widely, from current high fertiliser prices, are being monitored closely. There are nutrient management techniques and technologies that can be used alongside fertiliser products that help the efficacy of fertilisers and help maintain high yield and good quality produce. Support in the form of guidance from fertiliser suppliers and agricultural organisations such as National Farmers Union can be found from various public sources. Defra is aware that AHDB have published many helpful public pieces of guidance, advice and webinar recordings on mitigating high fertiliser prices. Defra is in regular contact with key industry figures including the National Farmers Union, fertiliser producers and importers, and the key sector representative body for fertilisers, the Agricultural Industries Confederation. We are continuing to monitor the security and stability of fertiliser and other supply chains, and working closely with colleagues across Government and devolved administrations as well as industry figures to share knowledge and discuss all options available to tackle these issues. This will help inform how Defra and other industry bodies can best support farmers. Defra is committed to promoting the use of less environmentally damaging fertilisers and better nutrient use efficiency. The current shortage of inorganic fertilisers provides an opportunity for farmers to continue exploring increasing their use of environmentally sustainable products and more efficient nutrient management methods. In the short term, farmers are paying more for their fertiliser and must pass that cost on through the produce they sell. However, as the Secretary of State explained to the NFU conference in February, those increased costs will cause some farmers to use less fertiliser, some to use more nitrogen fixing cover crops as part of their rotation and some to seek to substitute at least a portion of their manufactured fertilisers with organic manures as a substitute. Many of the challenges we face in agriculture will require a fusion of the best new technology available to us with a rediscovery of some of the conventional principles of good farm husbandry. It is important that we keep our minds open to creative solutions.

Food: Packaging

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will hold discussions with representatives of the manufacturing sector on encouraging wider use of technologies, such as NaviLens, to make packaging more accessible to people with sight impairments.

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure food and drink packaging is more accessible for people with sight loss.

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support companies developing new technologies to help make food and drink packaging more accessible to people with sight loss.

Victoria Prentis: The availability and accessibility of essential food information to all consumers is vitally important. It is already a requirement that food information must be easily visible and clearly legible. Information shall not in any way be obscured and depending on the package size, there is a minimum font size. That said, we welcome work by industry, especially companies developing new digital technologies like NaviLens with the potential to provide the means for people with visual impairment to access food information. As part of the upcoming Food Strategy White Paper, we will look at optimising food information, including labelling, so all consumers, are better able to make informed choices.

Attorney General

Prosecutions

Steve Reed: To ask the Attorney General, what the (a) total number and (b) proportion of prosecutions of each type of crime in each (i) region and (ii) local justice area of England and Wales is that have stopped post-charge because a victim did not provide evidence or has withdrawn in each of the last five years.

Alex Chalk: The total number and proportion of prosecutions for cases that have stopped post-charge because a victim did not provide evidence or has withdrawn, is not publicly available for each crime type by region and local justice area of England and Wales, in the format that has been requested. Figures for victim attrition for all crime by region are included in the local criminal justice scorecards, which can be found at www.criminal-justice-scorecard.justice.gov.uk/.This shows that the percentage of prosecutions that are stopped post-charge because a victim did not provide evidence or has withdrawn ranges from 11% in South West to 26% in North East in Q3 2021.

Domestic Abuse: Prosecutions

Dawn Butler: To ask the Attorney General, how many domestic abuse prosecutors have been newly trained in the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Alex Chalk: The Government is focused on delivering justice for victims of domestic abuse including through providing training resources to new prosecutors. Since November 2019, when figures became available, 568 prosecutors have attended instructor-led domestic abuse training as part of their induction programme to the CPS. Additionally, between 2017 and March 2022 online self-guided domestic abuse training courses were accessed on 6,184 occasions. To support prosecutors outside of training, the CPS publishes Legal Guidance on Domestic Abuse which can be accessed at any time (https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/domestic-abuse).

Ministry of Justice

Prisons: Coronavirus

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many covid-19 RIDDOR reports involving (a) HMPPS, and (b) non-directly employed prison staff were submitted to the Health and Safety Executive between March 2020 and December 2021.

Victoria Atkins: HMPPS has applied the guidance criteria provided by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) about the reporting of any work-related employee Covid cases under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). There have been no incidents which meet the criteria as defined by HSE in relation to directly or non-directly employed staff, therefore no such cases have been reported by HMPPS. Our strategy for managing Covid-19 in prisons continues to be guided by our National Framework, which sets out the basis for decisions on the necessary level of Covid controls over time. We also work closely with the UK Health Security Agency and have continued to adjust Covid controls in prisons as the risk has changed during the pandemic. We will transition prisons off the National Framework when it becomes safe to do so.

Youth Custody: Restraint Techniques

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department holds figures on the number of times that restraint was used in youth custody in each of the last ten years.

Victoria Atkins: Data on the use of force on children in the youth custodial estate is included in the aggregated annually published “Youth Justice Statistics” report which form part of the Youth justice statistics series (Youth justice statistics: 2020 to 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).Restraint should only be used where there is no other suitable alternative. To improve the monitoring of these instances, the Youth Custody Service established the independent restraint and behaviour panel in December 2020 who provide expert scrutiny on the use of pain-inducing techniques

Prisons: Labour Turnover

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the most recent retention rates are for prison (a) officers, (b) educators, (c) instructors, (d) healthcare staff, (e) chaplains, (f) facility management staff and (g) other staff, by region.

Victoria Atkins: HMPPS does not have a standard definition of ‘retention rates’ however we do publish information on leaving rates which can be used as a proxy. The leaving rate is the number of staff who have left the department in the previous 12 months divided by the average number of people in post over the same period of time. Figures for leaving rates requested can be found in the accompanying Excel file.144981_table (xlsx, 23.0KB)

Prison Officers: Vacancies

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the prison officer vacancy rate was for each of the Prison Service Establishment regions in each year since 2010.

Victoria Atkins: Flexibility to determine elements of their staffing complement has been devolved to prison governors and there has been variation over time on how they choose to fill roles at a local level and manage their vacancy rates. Therefore, there has been no routine collation and publication of yearly vacancy rates at a regional level.

Prison Officers

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) total and (b) full-time equivalent prison officers were employed in (i) HMPPS HQ or NOMS HQ and (ii) area services, in each year since 2010.

Victoria Atkins: The number of band 3-5 officers in post in HMPPS HQ and Area Services each year since 2010 can be found below in table 1. Prison officers are based in HMPPS HQ and area services when they have not been allocated to a prison. These are mainly officers who are on detached duty with no fixed location or are Prison Officer Entry Level trainers. It may also include a few staff redeploying from closing establishments who are allocated to an area office in the HR database before being reallocated to a prison in the database. Prison Officer Recruitment is undertaken via a central resourcing model, which focuses on each region’s requirement and then tailors adverts, outreach and incentives to meet the recruitment needs. We currently have recruitment activity ongoing for all sites with a current or future recruitment need.Table 1: Band 3-5 officers1 employed in HMPPS HQ and Area Services, as at 31 March 2010-2021 and 31 December 2021. HeadcountFull-time equivalent HMPPS HQArea ServicesTotalHMPPS HQArea ServicesTotal 31 March 2010227172442221723931 March 2011201182191991821731 March 2012137712081357020531 March 2013108911991049119531 March 2014112871991078719431 March 20158986175858617031 March 2016991112109411020431 March 20171031212249912021931 March 201821215136321215036231 March 201915018133115018032931 March 202031812344131812043831 March 202127211738927211438631 December 2021309117426308114422Notes:1. Band 3-5 Officers includes Band 3-4 / Prison Officers (incl specialists), Band 4 / Supervising Officers, and Band 5 / Custodial Managers.

Prisoners: Rehabilitation

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what figures his Department holds on the number of prisoners who have taken part in accredited substance misuse intervention progammes in each year since 2010.

Victoria Atkins: We are committed to ensuring all those who need drug treatment in prison have access to a full range of treatment options, including abstinence-based interventions, to support a meaningful recovery from drug dependency.The number of starts in custody of HMPPS accredited substance misuse programmes, 12-months ending March 2010 to 12-months ending March 2021, can be found in the: HMPPS Annual Digest 2020/21.In 2011, responsibility for health services in prisons transferred from the National Offender Management Service to NHS England. As those taking part in NHS programmes are not included in the above data, the number of those participating in accredited HMPPS drugs programmes have fallen since 2010. Figures for participation in these programmes can be obtained from NHS England.

Prisoners: Rehabilitation

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in which prisons are Democratic Therapeutic Communities available; and what funding has been made available to those prisons for the purpose of running Democratic Therapeutic Communities in each year since 2010.

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what figures his Department holds on the number of prisoners enrolling in Democratic Therapeutic Communities but not completing them.

Victoria Atkins: Democratic Therapeutic Communities (DTCs) in Prisons are available across five prisons in England. These are provided at HMPs Grendon, Dovegate, Gartree, Warren Hill, and HMP Send (for women). 14 DTCs are delivered across these five sites, including three that have been enhanced to work with those with learning disabilities. Each DTC is delivered jointly by Prison Officers and clinical staff, which includes psychologists and psychotherapists. The full costs of running DTCs is not easily disaggregated from the main budgets of establishments as the services are integrated with and rely on a range of services funded from different sources including NHS commissioned funding. Figures on the number of prisoners enrolling in Democratic Therapeutic Communities in Prisons and subsequently not completing them are not routinely collated centrally by the department. DTCs work with some of the most complex prisoners in the prison system, responding to difficulties related to mental health, including personality disorder. Reasons for non-completion are similarly complex and include medical reasons, security requirements, deselection and self-deselection. The quality of DTC delivery is reviewed through clinical audit bi-annually, measuring delivery against an accredited standard.

Prisons: Education

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent progress his Department has made on the development of the Prisoner Education Service; and when he expects that service to be launched.

Victoria Atkins: We set out plans in the Prisons Strategy White Paper to deliver a Prisoner Education Service that will raise levels of offender numeracy, literacy, skills and qualifications over the course of their custody, with the aim of securing jobs or apprenticeships after they leave custody. As the first phase of this work, we are:- Introducing new KPIs on education attendance and progress in English and maths to drive improved performance;- Testing new Education Work and Skills Specialist roles and support managers for prisoners with additional learning needs in a small number of prisons with plans to roll out further over the next two years;- Developing new digital content and expanding the use of secure laptops so more prisoners can study from their cells;- Changing the law to enable prisoners to undertake apprenticeships for the first time. On 22 March, we issued a Prior Information Notice on HMPPS’s public website to start the process of market engagement with a wide range of providers in preparation for new contracts to provide education services in prisons.

Offenders: Personality Disorders

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2022 to Question 121748 on Offenders: Personality Disorders, when the evaluation was completed; and what the average timescale is for clearance and publication procedures for such documents in his Department.

Victoria Atkins: The OPD national evaluation report was completed in Autumn 2020 having been subject to standard MoJ analytical review processes. These processes include internal quality assurance and sending a draft of the report to two external independent reviewers for comment. Once the report is finalised and signed off by MoJ Head of Profession for social research, communication plans are put up to ministers for approval to publish on www.gov.uk. Since this time, which has included changes to ministers at the MOJ, the evaluation report has been working through standard clearance processes for publication.The timeline for finalising a research report varies as it is dependent on a number of factors, including length, complexity and drafting styles of reports along with the time and resource required to review, quality assure, revise drafts and finalise the report. It is also important to note that since the start of the pandemic, MoJ staff, including Offender Personality Disorder Pathway staff, have been redeployed to support the operational response to COVID-19 impacts in custody and in probation.

Criminal Proceedings

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases were defended and what was the average number of days from an offence being committed on a (a) mean and (b) median basis for criminal cases being brought to completion in England and Wales by (i) court type, (ii) region, (iii) local criminal justice board area, (iv) local justice area and (v) Crown court in each quarter in each year since 2019.

James Cartlidge: Timeliness estimates for defendants dealt with at the magistrates’ courts and Crown Courts for various geographic breakdowns can be found in the attached table. Estimates of timeliness from offence to completion are taken from the point of offence committal through to the eventual completion of a case at court. These estimates are impacted by the reporting of non-recent offences, particularly in the case of mean estimates as offences reported several years after the incident can have a large impact on offence to completion measures. Caution should be taken when drawing conclusions from such granular breakdowns as requested as there is potential for marked variations based on small volumes and even single cases. The pandemic is the primary cause of the increased caseload in our courts. Prior to the pandemic, the outstanding caseload had reduced significantly, from over 55,000 in late 2014 to c.33,000 in late 2018. The Government is committed to supporting the recovery of the courts. We have extended 30 Nightingale courtrooms beyond the end of March 2022 and removed the limit on the number of days the Crown Court can sit in the 2021/22 financial year. To secure enough capacity to sit at the required levels in 2022/23 and beyond we are expanding our plans for judicial recruitment.141992_table (xlsx, 59.4KB)

Prisons: Education

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department is consulting with (a) prison educators, (b) prison education providers and (c) relevant trade unions on the Prisoner Education Service.

Victoria Atkins: We set out plans in the Prisons Strategy White Paper to deliver a Prisoner Education Service that will raise levels of offender numeracy, literacy, skills and qualifications over the course of their custody, with the aim of securing jobs or apprenticeships after they leave custody. As part of this work we have, and will continue to engage with prison educators, providers and relevant trade unions.

Prisons: Coronavirus

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) HMPPS and (b) non-directly employed prison staff tested positive for covid-19 between March 2020 and December 2021.

Victoria Atkins: Data on the number of both directly and indirectly employed HMPPS staff, testing positive for Covid-19 is provided on GOV.UK as part of the HMPPS workforce quarterly series. Figures for non-directly employed staff, however, will include some non-prison staff. The most recent release was published 17 February and covers the period to the end of January 2022. It can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/her-majestys-prison-and-probation-service-workforce-quarterly-december-2021. Our strategy for managing Covid-19 in prisons continues to be guided by our National Framework, which sets out the basis for decisions on the necessary level of Covid controls over time. We also work closely with the UK Health Security Agency and have continued to adjust Covid controls in prisons as the risk has changed during the pandemic. We will transition prisons off the National Framework when it becomes safe to do so.

National Offender Management Service and Prison and Probation Service: Staff

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) staff in total and (b) full-time equivalent staff were employed in the headquarters of (a) HMPPS and NOMS and (b) area services in each year since 2010.

Victoria Atkins: The number of staff in post in HMPPS HQ and Area Services each year since 2010 can be found below in table 1 (headcount) and table 2 (full time equivalent). Table 1: HMPPS HQ and Area Services staff in post1, by financial year as at 31 March 2010 to 31 March 2021 and 31 December 2021 (Headcount) Headcount HMPPS HQ2,3Area Services3Total31-Mar-20103,7186094,32731-Mar-20112,3299163,24531-Mar-20121,5261,2712,79731-Mar-20131,1821,2672,44931-Mar-20141,1991,3842,58331-Mar-20151,4471,4642,91131-Mar-20161,7851,6583,44331-Mar-20172,0721,6043,67631-Mar-20182,1391,5743,71331-Mar-20192,4711,6944,16531-Mar-20203,7521,6775,42931-Mar-20214,1501,7095,85931-Dec-20214,3521,8266,178Table 2: HMPPS HQ and Area Services staff in post1, by financial year as at 31 March 2010 to 31 March 2021 and 31 December 2021 (full time equivalent)  Full Time Equivalent HMPPS HQ2,3Area Services3Total31-Mar-20103,5565904,14631-Mar-20112,2358833,11831-Mar-20121,4621,1742,63631-Mar-20131,1251,1732,29831-Mar-20141,1641,2812,44431-Mar-20151,4121,3782,78931-Mar-20161,7311,6043,33531-Mar-20172,0191,5453,56331-Mar-20182,0901,5113,60131-Mar-20192,4061,6274,03331-Mar-20203,5781,6095,18731-Mar-20213,9141,6425,55731-Dec-20214,1191,7535,872 As with all HR databases, extracts are taken at a fixed point in time, to ensure consistency of reporting. However the database itself is dynamic and where updates to the database are made late, subsequent to the taking of the extract, these updates will not be reflected in figures produced by the extract. For this reason, HR data are unlikely to be precisely accurate.In June 2010 approximately 1,500 NOMS HQ staff transferred to the central Ministry of Justice.In April 2017 certain corporate functions were moved out of HMPPS HQ and Area services to the central Ministry of Justice under functional leadership changes.

Divorce

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions officials in his Department have had with relevant stakeholders on reforming the law governing financial provision on divorce to align with the introduction of no-fault divorce; and with which stakeholders such discussions have taken place.

Tom Pursglove: The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020, will commence on 6 April. Following the implementation of these fundamental reforms, the Government will consider how to best proceed with the commitment to review the law governing financial provision on divorce, at which point engagement with the relevant stakeholders will take place. We will announce our intentions in due course.

Powers of Attorney

Kim Leadbeater: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time the Office of Public Guardian takes to process applications for Lasting Power of Attorney.

Tom Pursglove: OPG have had staff in the office throughout the COVID pandemic but the registration of Powers of Attorney is a paper-based process and, as a consequence of the pandemic impacting on the number of staff who could be present in the office, it has taken longer than usual for an LPA to be registered. Now that COVID restrictions have ended, more staff have been able to return to the office and are working hard to reduce the backlog. OPG have also allocated extra staff to process Powers of Attorney and have used overtime and an additional night shift in order to process LPAs as quickly as possible. OPG hope to see a reduction in processing times over the coming months.

Offenders: Employment

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will publish figures for the number of prisoners who have achieved employment within six months of release after completing a rehabilitation programme, by programme type.

Kit Malthouse: The information requested could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. Internal management information indicates a baseline of 14% of prisoners in employment six months after release. Further validated data will be regularly published in future, with the first update no later than July 2022. It is a priority for this government to increase the proportion of prison leavers in employment following release. We will deliver a presumption in favour of offering offenders the chance to work in prison, on Release on Temporary Licence and on release. HMP Five Wells, which opened this month, is the first jail to have been designed with education, training and jobs for prisoners on release as its main purposes. We will also build stronger links with employers. Earlier this month, the Deputy Prime Minister announced plans to roll out Employment Advisory Boards in all 91 resettlement prisons by April 2023. The boards will link prisons with industry and make sure that offenders use their time in prison to gain the skills and links to job opportunities they need to find work on release. We will also change the law so that prisoners are able to apply for apprenticeship opportunities in vital industries, including hospitality and construction.

Offenders: Employment

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department holds figures on the number of prisoners finding work following their release from prison, by each prison.

Kit Malthouse: This information for Financial Year April 2020 to March 2021 is published in the Employment Circumstances tables of the Annual Community Performance Statistics on GOV.UK in Table 16 ‘Employed at six weeks after custodial release, by prison, England and Wales, Apr 20 - Mar 21’ here: Community Performance Annual update to March 2021. Information for Financial Year 2021-2022 will be published in July 2022.

Prisoners: Rehabilitation

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to produce impact evaluations for offender behaviour programmes which have been running for over three years.

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has carried out a risk assessment of running offender behaviour programmes that have not had an impact evaluation.

Kit Malthouse: This is a complex field of work, with many factors influencing the overall effectiveness of offending behaviour programmes. Our current programmes have been informed by various evaluations on existing and predecessor programmes. Impact evaluations require large samples and a significant follow-up period following offenders’ completion of the programme to measure reoffending. It can take several years before there is a large enough sample to complete this research, however all programmes are subject to ongoing quality assurance and monitoring. The Correctional Services Advice and Accreditation Panel (CSAAP), independent international experts, make recommendations to HMPPS on whether to accredit offending behaviour programmes by reviewing programme design, quality assurance, and evaluations. As part of this review process, programme developers must demonstrate that programmes are designed in line with the latest international evidence, thereby minimising any risk that these programmes will not have the desired impact.

Criminal Proceedings

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when his Department plans to publish the research on defendants' engagement with the courts process carried out by Revolving Doors on behalf of the Crime Reform Programme.

James Cartlidge: HMCTS plans to publish this research in Spring 2022.

Reoffenders: Sentencing

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of people who have received a custodial sentence have (a) not previously served or (b) previously served (i) between one and four, (ii) between five and nine and (iii) more than 10 community sentences in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

James Cartlidge: Data showing the proportion of offenders who were sentenced to custody by the number of community orders served in each of the last five years can be viewed in the table below. Proportion1 of offenders2 who received an immediate custodial sentence3 by year and number of previous community orders4,5, England and Wales6, 2016 to 2020YearPrevious community orders01 to 45 to 910 or more201645%34%14%6%201744%34%15%7%201843%34%15%8%201942%34%16%8%202041%35%16%8%Source: Ministry of Justice extract of the Police National Computer 1 - Proportion refers to the number of offenders who have received previous community orders as a proportion of those who received an immediate custodial sentence in each year. The proportions have been rounded to whole numbers.2 - Offenders are counted once in each year but may appear in multiple years if they received an immediate custodial sentence in more than one of the five years.3- Immediate custodial sentences include types of detention other than adult prison (e.g. detention and training orders given to 10 to 17 year olds or detention in Young Offenders Institutions).4 - Previous community orders are counted as at the last immediate custodial sentence the offender received in each year and may have been received at any time prior to the immediate custodial sentence.5 - Community orders includes all community orders, with or without electronic monitoring or curfew restrictions, but excludes other types of community sentences (e.g. youth rehabilitation order) and other sentences that may be served in the community (e.g. suspended sentence).6 - England and Wales includes all 43 police force areas plus the British Transport Police.

Reoffenders: Community Orders

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders who have received a community sentence in each of the last five years have previously received (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four, (e) five or more community sentences.

James Cartlidge: Community orders consist of requirements that can be tailored to address the individual needs and problems that contribute to reoffending, as well as to punish offenders and provide reparation to the community.The number of offenders who received a community order in each of the last five years and have previously received (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four, (e) five or more community orders can be viewed in the table Table showing the number offenders1,2 who have received a community order3 in each of the last five years who previously4 received (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four, (e) five or more community orders.Number of previous community orders Year  20162017201820192020 04212638864377643705828088 179677356728770365343 259575552546552493931 342863903383737592940 430402829276227352100 5 or more97949373939895437325 Total 7317067877665136538049727 Source: MoJ Extract of the Police National Computer (PNC)  1) The totals in this table refer to counts of the number of offenders identified in each year, rather than the number of community orders received.2) This refers to offenders who were convicted and received a community order in each of the years in the table. Some offenders may occur twice in the table if they received multiple community orders in consecutive years.3) Community orders includes all community orders, with or without electronic monitoring or curfew restrictions, but excludes other types of community sentences (e.g. youth rehabilitation order) and other sentences that may be served in the community (e.g. suspended sentence).4) Previous offences include all prior offence occasions that received a community order up to and including the years in question.

Criminal Proceedings

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what was the (a) mean and (b) median time from charge to completion for (i) Violence against the Person, (ii) robbery and (iii) theft offences in each of the last five years.

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) mean and (b) median time was from offence to completion for cases of (i) criminal damage and arson, (ii) drug offences and (iii) possession of weapons in each of the last five years.

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what was the (a) mean and (b) median number of days taken from offence to completion of rape cases for (i) Crown and (ii) Magistrates Court in England and Wales, by (A) individual court and (B) region for each of the last three years for which figures are available.

James Cartlidge: Timeliness estimates for defendants dealt with at the magistrates’ courts and Crown Courts for selected offences and geographic breakdowns can be found in the attached table. Estimates of timeliness from offence to completion are taken from the point of offence occurring to the eventual completion of a case at court. Reporting and recording of non-recent offences can have an adverse impact, especially for mean estimates and for sexual offences which can be reported months and years after the offence occurred. As such caution should be taken when drawing conclusions from granular breakdowns by offence and geographic location which may be based on very few and even single cases, and therefore show marked variations. The pandemic is the primary cause of the increased caseload in our courts. Prior to the pandemic, the outstanding caseload had reduced significantly, from over 55,000 in late 2014 to c.33,000 in late 2018. The Government is committed to supporting the recovery of the courts. We have extended 30 Nightingale courtrooms beyond the end of March 2022 and removed the limit on the number of days the Crown Court can sit in the 2021/22 financial year. To secure enough capacity to sit at the required levels in 2022/23 and beyond we are expanding our plans for judicial recruitment.To provide additional capacity in the Crown Courts we are extending magistrates’ court sentencing powers from 6 to 12 months’ imprisonment for a single Triable Either Way offence to allow more cases to be heard in the magistrates’ court and help to drive down the backlog of cases over the coming years. These measures are already working, and as a result we expect to get through 20% more Crown Court cases in the next financial year than we did pre-Covid. Following an increase in funding as part of the Ministry of Justice’s Spending Review settlement, we aim to reduce the number of outstanding cases in the Crown Court to 53,000 by March 2025.141199_141200_141201_table (xlsx, 37.2KB)

Reoffenders: Convictions

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many serious further offence notifications resulted in a conviction, by each type of offence, in each year since 2010.

Kit Malthouse: The table attached sets out the total number of notifications – that is, where an offender has been charged with a qualifying offence - followed by the resulting SFO convictions, by SFO offence, for notifications submitted to NOMS/HMPPS between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2020.Table (xlsx, 11.6KB)

Cabinet Office

Death

Esther McVey: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many excess deaths there were in week 17 to week 51 of 2021, compared with the 2015-2019 baseline.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.A response to the Rt hon. Member's Parliamentary Question of 22 March is attached. UKSA response (pdf, 132.3KB)

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Justin Madders: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent on the All In, All Together scheme in each month since the conception of that scheme.

Nigel Adams: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ117079 on 7 February.

Companies: Human Rights

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure Government contracts are not granted to companies that are complicit in serious human rights abuses.

Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg: The Cabinet Office published in Procurement Policy Note 05/19 comprehensive commercial policy and guidance to identify and tackle modern slavery and labour abuse risks throughout the commercial life cycle. This advocates a risk based approach and applies to central government, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies. Other public sector contracting authorities may wish to apply the approach set out in this PPN. This is being updated to strengthen the guidance on using the existing grounds in the Public Contracts Regulations for excluding suppliers and will set out enhanced due diligence activities. This will be published in due course.

National Security Adviser: Afghanistan

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the National Security Advisor was empowered to direct FCDO officials in determining evacuation priorities during the pull-out from Afghanistan in August 2021 (b) in respect of Nowzad and (b) more widely.

Michael Ellis: Following an NSC decision on 15 April 2021, the coordination of the Afghanistan evacuation was led by a small group of officials from relevant departments across Government, chaired by the relevant Deputy National Security Advisor, reporting to the National Security Advisor. The role of this group was to ensure the evacuation proceeded in line with policies and priorities agreed by the NSC. Staff for Nowzad were processed in line with this policy.

IX Wireless: Contracts

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many contracts IX Wireless Limited have been awarded by Government in the last 10 years.

Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg: This information is not held centrally.Details of Government contracts above £10,000 and £25,000 in the wider public sector are published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.

House of Commons Commission

Big Ben

Michael Fabricant: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, what estimate the Commission has made of when the (a) four faces of the clock in the Elizabeth Tower will be (i) operating with the correct time and (ii) fully illuminated and (b) chimes will be reinstated.

Sir Charles Walker: The Elizabeth Tower and the Great Clock are currently undergoing the most extensive conservation project carried out in the 160 years since Big Ben and the quarter bells began to strike.Following conservation off-site, the clock mechanism – which usually powers the hammers that strike the Great Bell (Big Ben) and the four quarter bells – is currently being re-installed in the Tower and tested.Dusty works are still ongoing in the ventilation shaft of the Tower, which has required the hands of the West Dial to be kept stationary to prevent damage to both the hands and the mechanism itself.The clock hands on the West Dial are scheduled to start operating again towards the end of Spring, once these works have completed. The illumination of the dials and the return of regular striking of the bells is set to resume before the conservation project completes in the Summer.